The Twelve of Two
by silentknight021
Summary: An abrupt confession by Naruto sets the stage for a twelve hour timespan between Sakura and himself. As they learn more about each other, Sakura begins to understand what was always there while Naruto comes to a decision. NaruSaku, Slight OOC
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: **The** **Twelve of Two **

**Timeline**: Just after the Sasuke Retrieval arc.

**Chapter 1. **

**Disclaimer**: I do not in any way own Naruto or any characters related.

10:03 PM:

It was a quiet summer night in the village of Konoha. The crickets chirped softly as the cool night breezes drifted through the calm and peaceful silence. At ten in the evening, a good portion of the peaceful town was already asleep; content in the awareness that such powerful shinobi and kunoichi lived there and would protect the people with their lives if necessary. Ninja's had always been brought up with the teachings that emotions were never to be placed or shown within the battlefield, for the fact that shinobi were always expected to move with a cold and swift purpose. Not all shinobi, however, lived by this code for feelings can bring out the best, as well as the worst traits in an individual….

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto walked down the main street in euphonic content having just finished eating a couple hearty bowels of miso and beef ramen, his stomach cooing happily. "_I think that old man makes it his mission to stuff me, not that I would complain_," he thought smugly while he walked. Lately, Teuchi at Ichiraku's had been extremely generous with the servings such as offering him numerous free bowls, as well as also making sure the broth was right near the top. Somebody had obviously filled him in on the details of the failed mission from five days ago, though Naruto hadn't bothered asking him whom. 

He'd just been released a couple days ago from the hospital, quicker then expected thanks to Tsunade's healing skills and the advanced medical staff although it was mostly due to the fast regenerative abilities of the nine tailed fox that resided within him. The powerful beast had also been the one responsible for repeatedly saving his life during that desperate battle with Sasuke. Without it, he would have been killed the moment Sasuke's chidori had plunged through his chest into his lung.

Upon being released, he'd been heavily lectured by both Tsunade-baa-chan and Shizune to take things easy and not too overstrain his still-healing body, even though both knew quite well that it was a hopeless conversation. Once Naruto had his mind set on something, law or no law, there would absolutely be no way to deter him. Immediately expecting a stubborn reply to her demands, Tsunade had been fully prepared to engage in a war of words with the youth, despite his heroic actions. Her fiery resolution was instead replaced with surprise, as he'd merely nodded in acknowledgment and had replied politely, "_No problem, Obaa-san_," a gleeful grin present on Naruto's face at the sight of Tsunade's blank expression. Shizune had smiled in relief while Tsunade had leaned over and ruffled his hair like a mother caring for a mischievous child, kissing his forehead in thanks. "_Sometimes I just don't know what to do with you..._"

Naruto smirked at the memory. Truthfully, he really had wanted to go after Sasuke and he would have but, after seeing the worry and concern on the women's faces, had changed his mind and instead resolved himself to 'follow orders' as much as that annoyed him. He would never have admitted it to anyone but realistically, the entire ordeal had worn him out mentally and somewhat emotionally. Despite the new law that had been cemented into place, and Kakashi-sensei being needed on more and more missions, Naruto had decided to continue training by formulating his own routine to follow. The program consisted of a various set of drills and advanced exercises, designed to strengthen his meager chakra control. While the exercises were kept simple enough, the important aspect was that the physical strain he was putting on his body kept his mind occupied and focused on something else besides the present situation. Earlier today he had done some exercising to keep himself busy and motivated. Now, after a thorough couple hours of working out and a filling supper, he was about ready for a hot shower and a good night's sleep.

Naruto was making his way past the quieting business district when a distant sound brought him to a sudden pause. His keen ears twitched as he searched for the source of the noise. He was in an alley between two houses near a corner where the road rounded around to a bridge over a wide, shallow stream. "Must be somewhere around the corner," Naruto remarked. As he made his way closer to the bend, the noise became more and more distinctive to that of someone crying. A girl, most likely, from the way she moaned.

Naruto felt himself frown; he'd done enough crying of his own when he'd been a child to recognize it from a distance. Without Iruka-sensei there to confide in back then, he didn't know how he would have been able to deal with the constant misery of being alone. It made him feel grateful that he had friends now who could see him for who he really was instead of just some loud-mouthed troublemaker who only thrived on receiving some form of attention.

He briefly considered an alternate path as to avoid who ever it was—thinking that they might not want any unwelcome visitors—but there was no other detour he could take and he was already standing at the corner. "Maybe I can sneak around," he said as he rounded the bend. He had barely taken two steps down the road when a familiar sight caused his initial idea to dissolve away. 

Standing in the middle of a stone arch bridge about fifty feet away from where he was positioned stood the pink-haired kunoichi, Haruno Sakura, who looked to be shaking heavily; her arms were folded along the top of the bridge while her head was buried in the back of her hands. Even from his standpoint, Naruto could easily tell that she was crying hard. Nobody would ever shudder like that if they weren't. He easily remembered just how hard she had been crying almost a week ago when she had tearfully begged him to bring Sasuke back. It had been so difficult to just smile and reassure her, when his own heart had been aching with the fact that no matter what he did, he would never have her heart the way he had hers. His promise to her had been sincere. For her, he probably would have given his very soul in order to insure her happiness. But when he'd been in the hospital, as far as he'd known, she had only come to visit him once during his stay. It had really made him question whether or not she really even cared at all. Still he was her friend, through and through, and nothing would ever change that fact. Even with his own uncertainties still present, he would always make time for her, even if she wouldn't offer him that same luxury.

"I should really see how she's doing," Naruto muttered as he slowly approached the bridge, not wanting to disturb her but, on the same token, needing to know if she was going to be okay.

Standing at the bottom curve, Naruto glanced up at her as she sobbed softly, completely oblivious to his presence. Her pink locks of hair shone in the moonlight that softly cascaded around her like a velvet curtain.

"_So pretty,_" he thought to himself. After taking a couple seconds to gather his nerve, Naruto tentatively cleared his throat and spoke out in a soft tone, "Sakura-chan?"

Sakura sniffed loudly as she slowly raised her head, her eyes searching for the source of the voice that had called out to her. She was immediately rewarded via a familiar pair of concerned, blue eyes belonging to her teammate and friend.

"Naruto," she uttered huskily. She quickly rubbed the back of her hand against her face crudely wiping her tears away. "How are you feeling?" she hurriedly asked in an attempt to redeem her composure.

"I'm all right," he carefully replied as he made his way up the bridge to stand next to her. "I had a lot of bed rest in the hospital, not that I had much choice in the matter considering Tsunade-baa-chan had me under constant watch the whole time. There's just no trust anymore," he added somewhat jokingly in the hopes of getting a chuckle out of her or at least a small smile.

To his mild disappointment, Sakura turned her head away from him as she gazed out into the distance. "I'm glad that you're feeling better," she offered softly.

Naruto frowned as he stared down at the stream of water flowing underneath them, his jovial mood gradually fading at her discontent. "How have you been doing?" he quietly asked, remembering why he had originally come up here in the first place.

"I'm coping," she replied simply.

Instead of trying to cheer her up again, Naruto merely nodded as he continued to stare down at the shallow stream. His eyes lost in the continuous flow of the water. He knew how hard she was taking this, probably much harder then he was, but he'd never imagined that she was this lost without Sasuke around. It had never made sense to him, really, to see how someone like Sakura could be so mistreated by Sasuke and not be hindered by it all while continuing to make him the object of her affections by doubling her efforts. On so many occasions, he wished that just once, he could have her look at him the way she looked at Sasuke but it was a dream that was becoming more and more difficult to indulge in, especially now considering the state she was in.

The two stood there quietly, not exchanging any words or actions, merely reveling in there own thoughts. Only the sound of the water and the whisper of the trees remained ever present around them with the occasional person bustling past the two in a hurry to get home from work to their loved ones. Realizing that this silence was going nowhere, Naruto decided that he was going to have to push just a bit.

"You never came to visit me after the first time," he spoke up, breaking the dull stillness between each other. He felt a twinge of guilt creep through him at how easy that came out, as well as knowing that that probably wasn't the best way to start a conversation—especially under the given circumstances—but he had also wanted a bit of an explanation to his inquiry, although he already had a pretty good suspicion built up as to why.

"I'm sorry about that," she replied apologetically. "You're right; I should have come to see you while you were in the hospital. I apologize for that."

Naruto involuntary nodded at her answer. "I understand and it's okay. I shouldn't have asked so abruptly like that. I'm sorry, too," he said, only partially meaning it. He turned his head slightly hoping to catch a glimpse of her face, but her bright locks of hair hid the majority of her away; his peripheral vision only allowing him to see her sad lips.

Naruto sighed as he continued to stare down at the lazy stream, his reflection barely noticeable in the dim light. He desperately wanted to say something to make her pain subside, even if just for a couple moments, but the harder he tried the more eluded the words became.

Despite it all he was angry; angry with Sasuke for leaving the way he did and causing such a mess, angry with Tsunade-baa-chan for not allowing him to leave to go after Sasuke, angry at Ero-sennin for not sharing in his optimism and leaving him on his own to train. He even wanted to be angry at Sakura for loving somebody who would never return the feelings she had always kept for him but he couldn't find the means necessary to be mad with her, he loved her too damn much for that.

A familiar sound brought him out of his bitter thoughts. Turning his head, he noticed that Sakura had started to shake again, unable to hide her turmoil anymore. Naruto knew that she was desperately trying to hide away her bleak despair from him, but it was a battle that she had no hopes of winning. By showing up, all he had managed to do was delay the inevitable.

As a friend, he wanted so much to just scold her, hoping that might possibly snap her out of this depression, but he couldn't trust himself to say the right thing and he knew from first hand experience alone that a insensitive mistake like that could be very costly. What she needed right now was a friend and as a friend, Naruto would comfort her in the only way he could possibly think of at the moment.

Fully turning towards her, he reached out and placed a calm hand over her quivering shoulder. "Sakura-chan...you don't have to hide it anymore," he offered soothingly. At the sincere sound of his voice, Sakura slowly turned to face him and for the first time since he'd arrived, Naruto could see just how red her eyes were and how puffy her cheeks had become from all this excessive weeping she'd been doing. She tried a smile, despite the trickle of tears running down her face, but it was a meaningless attempt.

Shaking his head, Naruto reached out and, ignoring her look of mild surprise, slipped his hands around her waist and gently pulled her towards him. Later, she could hit him for this_—_he didn't care_—_but right now, he knew that she needed the physical contact. Once she was close enough, he slipped his hands up her back pressing her against his chest. "I know it hurts, Sakura-chan. Just let it out, you can be strong later," he promised as he held her. She resisted for merely a moment, old habits coming into play to mix with her fresh pain caused her muscles to tense at the unfamilar feeling of being held like this. But only for a moment. Finally unable to hold back anymore, Sakura gave in and allowed her tears to flow freely as she pressed her face into the crook of his neck and right shoulder, her arms were tightly wrapped around him in return. Naruto placed a hand against the back of her head; his fingers gently threading their way though her hair, as he rocked her back and forth like a lost child. Her hot breath felt ragged against the skin on his neck as she sobbed hard.

"_Idiot Sasuke. Does something like this make you happy_?" he thought harshly while continuing to hold her, ignoring some of the curious stares of the villagers that walked by. The fact that he was openly hugging her like this without being punched was one thing, but to see her grasping onto him like this showed just how much agony she'd be in. Even though he knew he'd never have a shot at making her his girlfriend, he could at least be that rock of support for her whenever she needed it.

Finally, after a couple minutes, Naruto noticed that she was finally beginning to quiet down from her emotional barrage. Deciding not too overstay his welcome, he carefully released her while she pulled away from him, slightly hiccupping. Reaching up with his thumbs, he brushed away the last of her tears that lingered on her cheeks. "Better now?" he asked giving her an attentive look.

"Yeah...a lot better," she sniffed with a much more reassuring smile.

Naruto smiled back in return. "Good," he said, reaching up and giving her shoulders a light squeeze before releasing her completely.

"I guess…I should have came and seen you after all," she mumbled dryly, wiping her nose with the edge of her hand.

Naruto shrugged nonchalantly as he leaned up against the railing. "At the rate I've been going, I'll probably end up in there again in no time. You can make it up to me then," he offered jokingly, finally getting that light bout of laughter that he'd been hoping for.

"_Probably the first time she's laughed in awhile,_" he remarked to himself, watching as she turned to stare down at the tranquil stream, traces of a pleasent smile lingering on her lips.

Having noticed her look of content, Naruto sighed inwardly as he turned to gaze up at the peaceful moon that shone brightly overhead. "_Must be thinking of Sasuke,_" he rationalized, ignoring the small pangs of jealousy that threatened to inhibit his mind. He would have loved to have her smile like that for him, but only his deepest fantasies had he relished such hope. He'd already pushed too much by holding her so brazenly without asking for her consent, even though she hadn't pushed him away or insulted him like she usually did. Despite her willingness to be held, he once again began to wonder what she thought of him, but of course, he already knew the answer to that question.

_"Stupid and annoying as always…"_

He suppressed a sudden yawn, feeling the weariness that he had managed to subside a couple minutes ago returning in waves, the need for sleep began to win out again. He was so zoned out that he hadn't been aware that Sakura was trying to ask him something until he finally heard his name being called.

"Naruto?" she called out again, finally breaking him out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. You wanted something, Sakura-chan?" he asked, shaking his head to clear some of the persistent mind fog away.

Sakura shook her head. "It's not that important. You just seemed like you were in another world there for awhile," her light voice laced with slight concern as she looked him over.

"I'm all right. Really I am. Just a bit tired, that's all," he reassured her, adding a beaming smile to ease her worry. The last thing he needed right now was for her to turn around and start worrying about him, even though he thought it was kind of a nice change of pace.

Ignoring his disarming grin, she lightly scolded him. "You should really go home and get some sleep then, Naruto. You still haven't quite recovered yet from your injuries, let alone even be training," the familar tone of sternness creeping into her voice.

He nodded judiciously, knowing that she was right, but he still didn't want to leave her out here by herself either. Not that she needed to be protected from any mugger or thug that happened to be roaming in the area. In a confrontation, they wouldn't have lasted too long anyway. "Want me to walk you home?" he offered, trying to be more attentive then pushy.

Naruto felt a brief sensation of Déjà vu as she shook her head at his request. "That's okay. I'm feeling a lot better now," she said, offering another smile to reassure him. Her emerald eyes seemed to have a bit more life to them; at least they weren't dull and tearful like they were before.

Still, he wasn't quite convinced by either expression as he carefully scrutinized her. He wasn't willing to argue with her by any means, but he also didn't want to take the unnecessary precaution that she would do something rash, like try to go after that idiot only to get herself killed in the process. For Sasuke to leave, that was one thing, but the thought of losing Sakura because of some desperate whelm was something he couldn't even begin to fathom. Anxiety won out.

Deciding to be blunt he asked her, "You're not going to run off and do something crazy like try and go after Sasuke yourself, are you?" His voice taking on a gruff edge while he gauged her reaction to the question.

Despite the firm inquiry, Sakura's smile never wavered as she gazed down slightly, her cotton candy hair hiding her eyes. "A couple days ago, maybe even a few minutes ago, I might have considered doing that. Kami knows I was desperate enough, but...I couldn't now," she answered him truthfully, her hands casually fidgeting with her red dress while she spoke.

Instantly feeling relieved with her answer, Naruto reached forward and again placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling less hesitant this time. "That's reassuring to hear. I would have hated to had to have gone after you, too," he told her teasingly, her skin felt warm under his touch.

Sakura dismissed the statement. "I'm really glad that you showed up when you did, Naruto. Thank you," she said while continuing to look down at the ground, an unfamiliar touch of gratitude present.

"Umm...me too, and you're welcome," he quickly replied, feeling suprised and a little taken back by the complement. He hadn't really done anything particularly special, or that could remotely have been justified as being super extraordinary. He thought that he'd been more bossy and invasive then anything, althought that might have been what she needed in the long run to begin nudging her out of this funk. He just wouldn't make it a custom to employ those types of methods all the time, or else he _would_ be tasting the brunt end of her fist.

His mind settling back on the prospect of getting some well-deserved sleep, Naruto gave her shoulder a final squeeze before relinquishing his hand and letting her go. "Have a good night, Sakura-chan," he said. The mild scent of sweet perfume lingered briefly in his nostrils as he made his way around her and started towards the opposite end of the bridge. He hoped again that he hadn't been overly pushy in these circumstances.

Walking away, Naruto could feel the weight of her gaze settling against him. The fact that that she would show any such interest in him was both confusing and exhilarating, it also made him realize that he really hadn't said what he had needed too. He also wasn't certain that she wanted to hear any of this right now but he knew that if he kept it inside, it would only just make him more miserable.

"Screw it," he finally muttered, bringing himself to a halt. Sleep could wait for a little while longer, this was more important. Turning to glance over his shoulder, Naruto called out, "Hey, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura had been staring at him in mild curiosity, but her eyes instantly became focused and she stood a bit straighter as soon as he called out her name. "Yes?" she asked, feeling a touch embarrassed that she'd become so flustered all of a sudden. It was only Naruto, but something in his stance…

Naruto composed himself. "I know that you loved him—still love him. I don't think Sasuke ever had an inkling as to how lucky he was to be cared for by somebody as precious as you are," he spoke candidly as he looked upon her with a neutral expression.

Sakura, on the other hand, had a strange almost dumbfounded look on her face as she struggled to process his comments. Her cheeks quivered slightly while she listened.

"I feel sorry for him," Naruto slowly continued, "but only in the sense that he chose power and revenge over friendship and people. I also feel compassion for the sadness that he was brought up on...but at least he had real memories of his parents, and all the good times that he shared with his clan. Some people don't even have that," he added, talking more so about himself then Sasuke. To his own ears, those words sounded harsh, probably even harsher for her, but he knew that he needed to get all of this out in the open.

"I can't really feel any remorse for what he's done to us, but I know that I can forgive him…eventually." Naruto gingerly bit the inside of his cheek, knowing that this next statement would be quite difficult for her to take in although judging from the puzzled look on her face, she was seemingly having a difficult time as it was…but he needed to say it.

"Sakura-chan...you'll probably hate me for saying this...but is Sasuke really worth shedding all these tears for?" he quietly probed, feeling guilty that he was dipping into such a tender area. Even though her cheek's continued to quiver, she didn't interrupt or burst in with a sharp retort. Instead, she decided to remain silent, allowing him to speak his mind. "He never…gave you the time of day, and he was always cold to you. He never showed you any respect, no matter what you did for him," he continued, allowing the twinge of anger to filter in.

Sakura bit her lower lip in anxiety. She'd never heard him talk like this before, ever. It was as if all of his negative thoughts were surfacing from a dark well of hidden depth within. "Naruto, why are you…?" she began to speak in response to his confession but he held his hand up, cutting her off.

"Please let me finish, Sakura-chan," he quietly requested. Subdued, Sakura nodded, forcing herself into silence.

"Yet, despite all that," he continued, "you loved him and deep down, I know that he loved you too—even though it was probably hard to notice at times, or any time for that matter. But I don't think he could really express any of that to anyone, because of what he promised to do for himself...and for his clan. At least, that's what I think," he hypothesized. At that last sentence, his facial expression shifted as he tenderly gazed at Sakura. "I want you to be happy, though, Sakura-chan. You deserve to be happy—and that's why I'm going to keep my promise to you, no matter what. One day, I will bring him back," he spoke with unnerving determination. "So, please, don't cry anymore, Sakura-chan," he smiled brightly before turning and casually walking away, not giving her a chance to respond.

Sakura could only stare in total bafflement as she watched her friend disappearing into the night, his declaration still echoing in her mind. "Naruto…" she whimpered, the prickle of hot tears threatening to cascade down her face again. "H-how can you care so much?" she wondered.

At any other time, an attempt by Naruto to embrace her would have ended up with him flying into orbit, but this time when she had hugged him openly; all of her anxieties and worries had simply melted away, leaving her with nothing but the peaceful feeling of being held. In all of her life, she had never felt as cared for like she had been moments ago.

She'd dreamt and fantasized so many times of Sasuke holding her close, the warmth of being relished by the one she cared so much for. It had been something she had held on to and wanted for so long, but she knew deep down that it was nothing more then a diminishing dream. But with Naruto…

"Why…why do you care so much for me? What have I ever done in all the time I've known you to earn that kind of respect?" she desperately asking, continuing to stare into the shadows that Naruto had disappeared into. She bit the bottom of her lip hard, feeling a sudden pang of dissatisfaction at the way he had left, despite her telling him she was all right. "I know he was worn out. I could see it in his eyes but...still, he would have stayed no matter what I had told him, wouldn't he?" she asked, but the only response she received was the wind rustling through the trees.

Sakura sighed as she glanced up at the darkening sky. It was starting to get late and she was well aware of the fact that her parents were fairly stringent when it came to curfews, especially her mother. Thankfully, they'd already been fast asleep when she had snuck out of her room earlier to get some fresh air. Being a kunoichi definitely had its advantages at key times, not that she really cared right now if she got caught or not. It was of little importance.

Curiosity, however, was gradually beginning to win out, her thoughts continuing to waver back and forth between the Naruto she thought she knew and the Naruto that had just departed. It wasn't what he'd said that had struck a chord but the intensity behind his words that had shocked her. Naruto was _usually_ self-reserved and kept such blusterous comments to himself, unless he was trying to show up Sasuke. But while those attempts were usually comical and short-lived, there was nothing humerous in this instance—and she started to think that maybe there was something more to Naruto then just the interpretation of a happy-go-lucky joker whose only goal in life was to become the leader of the village.

But was it really something more, or...was it something else?

Standing there, Sakura realized that if she went home without chasing this any further, she would only remain perplexed by the whole situation and that was a circumstance that she had grown extremely tired of. She wanted—no—needed her questions answered and whether she liked it or not, Naruto was the only one who could provide those explanations for her.

"I can't just leave it like this. He's not getting off that easy," she resolved as she wiped away the last of her tears. Casting one look at the stream, she pushed herself away from the railing and walked along the bridge towards the same path her teammate had traveled mere minutes ago with all the intentions of getting some much needed answers, no matter what.

**To be continued…**

**Author Note:** Hopefully this doesn't seem like a sloppy beginning! When I had originally started to write this, I was just going to make it a one shot but I didn't want to make it something where it would end right abruptly so it didn't quite turn out that way. I actually began working on a rough draft of this in a scribbler around six months ago to kill some time during the work season. Despite the unoriginal setting, I hope you guys enjoy it.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**.

**Disclaimer**: I do not in any way own Naruto or any characters related.

10:40 PM:

The wooden walkway creaked loudly under the pressure of Naruto's feet as he made his way down the balcony towards the small one-man apartment in which he called home. Despite how worn down and decrepit the building was obviously in, he never bothered to complain to his landlord about certain little inconveniencies like having to use the occasionally broken down washer and dryer downstairs or the fact that there was no air-conditioning built into the rooms.

"_It'll toughen you up as a ninja_," the landlord would always bark stringently, a toothy grin accompanying his wizened face in response to the dirty look that Naruto would always issue him before smacking the washer in annoyance. Even so, the landlord would always make sure to fix the small problems for him such as the failing plumbing or the furnace whenever Naruto left to go on missions. On occasion, his wife would also prepare him something to eat and leave it in his fridge for him to feast on whenever he got home. When the mood stuck her, she would sometimes go and tidy his kitchen for him even though that was getting to be more and more of a rarity by each year. And even though he was growing older, it was comforting to know that despite the rough time his landlord would occasionally give him, him and his wife were in some way other then Iruka-sensei, parental figures towards him. It might have also been the possibility that he was the only one living there who never complained about the building and that the landlord merely catered to him as a form of bribery as long as he continued to reside there while paying the meager rent. He hadn't been decided on that one yet.

He had just reached the door when a sharp wind suddenly brushed against him, causing him to shiver slightly. Despite the heat from earlier in the day, summer nights in Konohagakure could still be quite cold and this night looked to be no exception either.

"Hope she went home after I did," Naruto uttered to himself as he searched his pocket for the key to his apartment. Finding it, he quickly slipped it into the knob and twisted it open while giving the stubborn door a sharp kick, causing it too bounce swiftly against the porch wall inside.

Walking into his apartment, he was immediately welcomed with a light breeze from an old fan that he had grudgingly received from his landlord a couple summers ago during one particular hot day when temperatures had reached an unbearable boiling point. He had purposely left his hallway light on, already knowing in advance that he would be training late into the evening.

Shutting the door behind himself, he wearily made his way across the dim, untidy living room making sure to avoid the largely cluttered coffee table where he had stubbed his toe numerous times before in the past on the corners. The aged couch groaned in sudden protest as he unceremoniously flopped himself down right next to the fan, his feet casually propping up on the coffee table, atop of some old training manuals that he'd been meaning to put somewhere else for awhile now. For a second, Naruto glanced at the T.V. next to the open window, contemplating whether he should turn it on or not. He gradually began to lose interest in that idea, his mind and body craving nothing but the simplicity of peace and quiet for the moment.

Naruto sighed as he pressed the back of his head against the cushion, quietly reveling in the soft breezes that steadily washed over him. His ears gradually becoming accustomed to the steady hum of the fan as well as the constant ticking of the cheap clock that hung on the side of the wall, just above him.

His mind flickering back to earlier on the bridge when he'd been making his way home. "I wonder if I should have even said anything?" he contemplated aloud, feeling a bit of regret as he causally swept a hand through his messy blonde hair.

Walking away, he'd felt surprisingly better with himself. It had been like releasing a pressing weight off of his sagging shoulders. "_It needed to be said_," he had kept telling himself, almost like a continuous mantra used in the Tai Chi courses taught over in the academy. He wasn't quite sure though if he was trying to reassure himself that he had done the right thing by telling her his opinion or otherwise convince himself in order to levitate some unknown guilt that he'd unwillingly unleashed. Maybe he would have just felt better if he'd been able to persuade her into at least letting him walk her home. Maybe he should just have kept his mouth shut and walked away. Maybe…

Naruto moaned to himself. The latter was starting to sound pretty good right now and he did have that somewhat bad habit of sounding so pompously high and mighty during a tense situation. Yawning raggedly, he slowly pushed himself off of the couch and kicked his sandals over towards the porch where they bounced against the wall before coming to rest on the welcome mat. He then untied his hitae-ate headband and placed it down on his coffee table, somehow managing to find a vacant place for it.

Making his way over to the bathroom, he casually shucked out of his dirty orange jumpsuit and walked into the shower. Turning the faucets on, he immediately received a blast of hot water across his shoulders, scalding him briefly. He made no attempt to manipulate the taps, instead relaxing as the water washed over him.

He inhaled softly, allowing some of the hot steam into his lungs. Involuntarily, he touched the upper part of his chest where Sasuke had stuck him. Even though Kyuubi had repaired the flesh with ease, it had chosen to leave behind a small trace of a scar as a souvenir as well as a constant reminder to what could have happened without its 'divine' presence close by.

_Sasuke…_

Naruto shook his head violently, not really feeling like reminiscing as he reached for the shampoo and conditioner. He quickly lathered and rinsed before shutting the taps off. Toweling himself off, he reached over to the door where one of his most prized possessions hung.

On the door was a thick bathrobe that had been dyed in his favorite orange hue, his initials clearly stitched on the pockets. He had received it a couple years ago prior to his passing from the Sandaime as a Christmas present. It was one of the few objects that he had treasured from his childhood that had actually contained warm nostalgic memories.

Lifting it off the hook, he wrapped it snugly around himself as he opened the door allowing some of the steam to dissipate. He then made his way down the short hallway towards his bedroom where he kept a small closet filled with an assortment of casual and formal clothing apart from his usual training attire. Settling on an old t-shirt and a pair of casual shorts, he slipped out of the warm robe and put the clothes on.

Yawning loudly, he walked back into his hallway and switched the light off casting the apartment into a peaceful darkness. Naruto cackled happily with unbridled glee as he lifted his blanket up and wearily crawled into bed. He pulled the comforter over himself and rolled onto his back, listening to the wind as it whistled through the slight crack in his window.

"What a day…" he muttered to himself as he casually crossed his arms over his head. Earlier, he had been able to easily subdue his self-conscious thoughts by continually keeping himself busy, not allowing himself to reminisce, but now…as he laid there in the silence of the dark, Naruto could fell himself sinking back into that mindset pattern; the memories that he had fought hard to avoid, beginning to barrage him once again.

The whole week had been such an ordeal and had taxed him in just about every way possible. Losing his best friend slash rival to Orochimaru, Neji and Chouji nearly dying in battle against the formidable sound ninja, Sakura tearfully begging him to bring Sasuke back and then pretty much being ignored by her while staying in the hospital even though she had apologized for it and now to top it all off, his stupid confession that he had still felt unsure of, even after half-heartily convincing himself that what he did had been right.

"Was it really?" he found himself asking, feeling a sense of unease as his own words echoed in his mind. He had never really been good at reaching out or revealing his feelings when it came to matters of the heart. Emotional anguish was just something that he'd constantly had to deal with growing up. It was that pain alone that had transformed him into the prankster that most of the village viewed him as today. Only that rare few who had been able to see him beyond all of that pretense and coating, could really understood exactly who he was. A human being that deserved the simple need of acknowledgement.

In some ways, Sasuke and Sakura had been exactly like him, more so Sakura though. He could remember on more then one occasion as a kid when he had been walking around merely minding his own business when he would come across Sakura crying by herself in a situation vaguely similar to the bridge. Kids had always seemingly picked on her for no real reason other then having a large sized forehead when he himself had really found nothing wrong with it. 'Abnormal' had been the singsong nickname they had commonly used to describe it. It wasn't until she finally became friends with Ino, when she gradually began to abandon that conscious aspect of herself while finding that niche within that allowed her to become the person she was today.

He grunted as he rolled over onto his side, hoping that a new position would gradually lull him too sleep. He didn't know what was going to happen now, due to this awkward situation that he had created earlier. Tomorrow, now more then likely, he'd get some form of retribution whether it was in the form of a well-placed fist, a harsh insult or just simply distancing herself away from him like she had seemingly been doing all week.

"I'll worry about that tomorrow," he mumbled while shutting his eyes, hoping against hope that he'd drift off soon. Minutes went by as he gradually started to nod off. His mind growing hazier by the second as the darkness began to take its hold on him. He was just on the verge of snoring, when a soft noise caused him to slightly shift. A couple seconds later, the sound was again repeated. A little louder then the last one.

Naruto opened one eye slowly; his senses becoming alert as he gradually interpreted the noise as somebody knocking on his door. He scowled in irritation, hoping that the person would just go away already and leave him alone. It wasn't until the noise was repeated a third time that he realized that who ever it was wouldn't be leaving. Not right away, anyways. Huffing to himself, he roughly pushed the comforter off as he swung his legs out, reluctantly getting himself out of bed.

"This better be important," he growled while making glancing over at his clock, the numbers representing eleven o'clock glowing softly on his night table. Hastily throwing his robe on and making sure to grab a spare kunai off the floor, he hurriedly walked out of his room while slapping the hallway light on. Ever since that brief skirmish with Sasuke's older brother, Itachi, Ero-sennin had made it a point before leaving to lecture him about the basis that a ninja must never take the simplest of situations for granted.

In any case, the chakra that he was sensing as he approached his door didn't seem dark or at all tainted, although there did seem to be a hint of something off-balance. Reaching forward, he opened the door with a quick jerk, ready to lambaste the unwelcome visitor with a flurry of insults, yet the first words had barely left his tongue when he finally realized who it was.

Standing there in front of him was the pink haired kunoichi that he had left on the bridge no more then a half an hour ago. Her head was drooped down slightly; causing her disarrayed pink locks to cascade around her eyes while she looked to be slightly disheveled. Her dress was hardly appropriate for the blowing winds that had grown steadily cooler as the night progressed.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked in a mixture of shock and surprise. She was the last person he'd expected to be knocking on his door at this hour, let alone any other time.

Sakura gazed up slowly; her emerald green eyes glinted against the illuminated lighting from the streets below. "Naruto," she spoke softly. Her voice sounded tired, but there was a sincerity within that he'd never noticed from her before. "I'm sorry for coming here so late, but I…I needed to talk to you." She was about to say something else when a sudden gust of wind caused her to squeak loudly. She quickly wrapped her arms around herself, desperately trying to keep warm.

Naruto immediately held the door open for her, "Please come inside, Sakura-chan. It's to cold out right now," he quickly coaxed her. Nodding her thanks, Sakura hastily stepped inside.

Shutting the door, Naruto went and flicked on the main power switch, instantly brightening up the living room. Ignoring the painful sparks in his eyes, Naruto went and began to shut the window by the T.V. while turning down the fan to a more appropriate setting in order to get a bit of heat circulating in the apartment. After closing the stubborn window, Naruto looked over to where Sakura was still standing, noticing that she was still rubbing her chilled arms in an attempt to warm up.

Breaking the sash on his robe and untangling himself once more, he walked over to where she stood and carefully placed it around her shoulders. Her eyes widened at the unexpected action yet she immediately accepted the robe without hesitation, grateful for it's sudden warmth. Sakura sighed in content while sliding her arms into the sleeves, wrapping the garment around herself while tying the sash loosely around her waist. It was a bit big on her, but at the moment, she wasn't too concerned about fashion sense.

Turning around, she flashed him a small smile in thanks, not wanting to seem to appreciative in that Naruto might happen to overreact as usual. Instead, he merely nodded with a soft smile. "It looks better on you then me, anyway," he offered casually. Sakura was a little taken back by that response, but she didn't pay it much thought, her attention currently drawn on the robe itself.

"I really need one like this," she remarked with a pout, casually thumbing the ends of the sleeves while making a few mental notes to herself on certain aspects of the fabric.

Naruto nodded in agreement. "Those are pretty hard to come by. I got that as a gift," he added discouragingly, indulging in the light conversation.

"I'm jealous," she replied and meant it as she glanced admiringly at the initials on the front pockets.

Naruto chuckled at her childlike expression. "Well, if something ever happens to me, then you can have it," he offered. "All you'd have to do is get the stitching replaced and…" Noticing the serious expression Sakura now wore, Naruto's words began to die off. That girlish pout was suddenly replaced with a concerned frown, much like the one he'd noticed earlier in the evening after his little joke about the hospital.

"Don't you ever say that again, Naruto. Not even as a joke," she warned him with an unexpected edge of frost in her tone, her eyes gleaming brightly with sudden anger.

Naruto gingerly bit the inside of his cheek, unsure of what to say. "I'm sorry, Sakura-chan. I didn't mean it like that," he quickly apologized, seeing just how upset she was getting. He was getting good at saying the wrong things at the right times, and this looked to be no different. It had only been a little joke.

Without warning, she quickly stepped forward, lifting her right hand as if to strike him for acting like an idiot. Naruto managed to beat her to the punch by foolishly wrapped his arms around her in sudden desperation, his mind abandoning all forms of rational logic.

"Please don't hit me, Sakura-chan, I really am sorry!" he hastily apologized, desperately hoping that his sincere words would squelch her present hostility. He stood there, half-expecting to be shoved away or at least run down in some way but she did neither, much to his immense relief. Instead, she pressed her body against his, her cheek resting against his left shoulder as she allowed herself to be held.

"Promise that you won't ever talk like that again, Naruto" she whispered. "If something ever happened to you…"

He held her a little tighter. "Y-you won't get rid of me that easily," he told her, knowing that that was a promise he could easily keep—and still feeling confused that she had acted so vehemently. It's wasn't like she had ever shown much of any interest for his well-being in the past.

He felt her nod against his shoulder. "You've got that right. Somebody has to keep you in line," she retorted half-seriously. He laughed at this as he leaned down, catching a scent of her cotton candy locks, the aroma of exotic fruits drifting up into his nose. The memory of that scent was quickly locked away, hoarded deep within the recesses of his mind where it would forever be treasured as long as he lived.

He felt her head pulling away from his shoulder. "Naruto? You weren't sleeping or anything when I knocked on the door, were you?" she asked, having finally noticed the darkened kitchen.

"On and off," he answered her honestly, releasing her from his grasp.

Sakura bit the bottom of her lip, the guilt evident on her face as she meekly glanced away. "You should have just sent me away. I would have understood," she quietly admonished him, even though she felt more embarrassed with herself then anything for showing up at such an impromptu hour.

"And let my Sakura-chan freeze outside and catch cold, especially in the summer? Not a chance!" he quickly argued, seeming almost shocked that she would even suggest such an idea to him.

"Okay, okay," she quickly resolved, holding her hands up in a gesture of peaceful surrender, not wanting to get him worked up right now.

"Great! Did you still want to talk then, Sakura-chan?" he asked her exuberantly, a friendly smile gracing his lips while patiently awaiting her answer.

Sakura sighed, allowing him to have this brief victory. "_I've hardly been able to sleep these past couple days. He looks pretty exhausted, but if I tell him it's okay, he'll just tell me not too worry about it…and I also would have just wasted a trip over here for nothing,_" she carefully considered as she looked him over. "_Naruto can be such a dummy at times, but I actually wouldn't mind staying. At least, for a little while._"

"So, what do you say then? You'll want to warm up, anyways, right?" he asked her again while throwing in a little psychology for good measure.

At that welcoming thought, Sakura nodded in agreement and gave in. "But you're going to bed the minute you start to nod off, and I don't want to hear any ifs, ands or buts about it. Understand?" Her tone offering no room whatsoever for argument as well as effectively reminding him that it would take a lot more then just simple reverse psychology to ever get the best of her.

"Yes ma'am," he replied, his bold grin never diminishing. If anything his smile grew all the wider as he walked off in the direction of the kitchen while humming a tune of victory to himself.

"Smart ass," she hissed under her breath as she watched him walk off. A suddenly enthrallment with the hypnotic swaying of his hips caused her irratiation to diminish. "_Smart ass indeed,_" she repeated to herself while continuing to observe his glutes and lower legs with slight interest. She'd never seen him in those kind of shorts before.

"I'm going to go make some tea. Would you like some, Sakura-chan?" Naruto called over his shoulder as he flipped the light on for his kitchen.

"Umm…uh, sure, Naruto," she stuttered, quickly looking away and not wanting him to see the blush that had formed on her face. Thankfully, Naruto was busy filling a kettle with water and hadn't noticed her ogling him.

"_It's only Naruto,"_ she reminded herself, giving her head a shake for her reprehensible behavior. Recovering from her embarrassment, she made her way into the kitchen which looked to be in a bit of a mess at the moment. "Need a hand," she offered, noticing that Naruto was running back and forth between several tasks.

"Nope. Just have a seat, and sorry for the mess. I usually don't really have any company over," he cheerfully replied, throwing a bunch of old ramen containers in the trash.

Taking the seat closest to her, Sakura shot him a curious look. "_Come to think of it, this is actually the first time I've ever been in his apartment. Aside from the mess, it's not all that bad I guess,_" she thought to herself as she glanced around his kitchen. After a couple minutes of rushed cleaning and filling up the sink, Naruto finally arrived at the table with the steaming brew and two clean cups. "I really wouldn't have minded giving you a hand, you know," she chided, accepting the mug that he offered her.

"You're my guest, though, Sakura-chan," he defended himself while pouring some tea into her cup.

"Thank you," she replied, remembering her manners as he took a seat across the table from her.

Happening to notice the light frown on Sakura's face, Naruto smiled faintly as he poured himself some tea. "But thanks for offering to help," he added warmly.

Sakura's lips twitched slightly at the sincere comment, unexpected warmth quickly spreading across her cheeks. Luckily, Naruto had been busy sipping his tea and hadn't noticed her unexpected blushing _again_ for the second time. "_Dammit, what the hell is wrong with me. I never blush around him, ever. Now, over the course of a minute, I blush, what, twice? Get it together already!_" she admonished herself, taking a quick sip to ease her tension.

"How's your tea, Sakura-chan? Is it to bitter?" Naruto casually asked, seeing her eyebrows lightly scrunching up.

She shook her head. "It's good, thanks," keeping her voice just as nonchalant while gradually draining her cup. A few seconds went by as they sat there in silence. Sakura seeming quite intent on drinking her tea as she all but forgot about Naruto for the present moment.

"Umm…Sakura-chan?"

Her eyes quickly flicked up as she gazed at him in mild surprise. "Yes?"

Naruto offered her that million-dollar smile that he seemed to especially reserve, just for her. "You said you wanted to talk about something, Sakura-chan?" He gently reminded her while at the same time, tried to coax her into making conversation. She smiled weakly as she placed her cup back on the table with a light '_clinking_' noise.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. It's just that I've been at my wits end all week now and this is the first time in awhile that I've felt like I can just relax. Just enjoying the feeling, you know?"

Reaching for the pot, Naruto nodded in understanding. "I know how you feel. It's been a bad week for everyone. I'm just glad that you're starting too feel better," he openly admitted.

"But what about you, Naruto? You've been so busy asking how I've been doing that you haven't given me the chance to ask you that same question," she asked, managing to turn the tables on him.

Naruto's behavior didn't falter as he lifted the pot over his empty mug, a calm smile on his face. "I'm fine. Took some time, but it's not bothering me as much now," he replied, trying to keep his response as straightforward as possible while filling his cup.

Sakura wasn't really sure what to do with that answer. That response and smile, to her, looked like more of a smokescreen then anything. Unfortunately, she couldn't read Naruto's feelings enough to be able to cut through a presumed fabrication like that. The regret of not getting to know him as well as she should have in the past was beginning to weigh more and more heavily on her mind.

"More tea?" he asked, holding the pot out for her.

"Please," she replied sweetly offering him her cup, a sudden feeling of content filling her eyes as she watched him pour steaming liquid into his mug.

"_He's been so…attentive, and yet, he's not being pushy at all. How come I never noticed this before?_"

"**_Maybe that's because you spent so much time obsession over Sasuke, that you never even bothered to take the time to notice!_**" Her inner self viciously shot back, causing Sakura to glance down, her short-lived happiness quickly shattering like fragile glass.

"You okay, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked, this time happening to notice the sudden look of discontent on her face.

His question caused her to giggle in response as she tried to conceal her sudden mood change. "Of course I'm okay! Really, Naruto, you shouldn't worry about me so much," she tried to scold him in an attempt to shift his attention.

Naruto merely gazed at her in a fox-like fashion, the puzzlement clear on his face. "But...you're my precious friend, Sakura-chan!" He protested as he brought his cup up to his lips, taking a slow sip of his drink. He then quietly added, "I don't like seeing you hurt."

Sakura could only nod meekly as she glanced down at his cup, unsure of how to reply to his sincere statement. "_I can't believe how nice he is, how nice he's been. I know he's had some stupid crush on me for a while now, but I never thought, could never have even imagined that he cared for me like this,_" she mused to herself, her thoughts began to drift backwards to a week ago on that miserable day when she had shown up at the gate just as Naruto and the others were just about to leave, her desperate plea to Naruto and his heartfelt promise that he would bring him back.

Early the next morning, she had immediately gone to the hospital with the unbearable anticipation of seeing Sasuke again. He would probably be disgruntled, restrained and quite possibly even injured, but otherwise alive and back home where he belonged. She had even taken the time the night before to prepare a lecture just especially for him, even though he would probably glare at her as usual for having to put up with any additional torture.

It wasn't until she had asked one of the nurses where Sasuke's room was located when she had finally heard that Naruto and a couple of the other members in the retrieval party had been injured, while Sasuke had somehow managed to slip away into seclusion. Unwilling to accept the nurse's statement, she had instead asked for Naruto's room with the hopes that he would be able to shed some light on the situation. Arriving at his room, she had been ready to barge in demanding to know what was going on when she had heard directly from Naruto's own recollection of events that Sasuke had indeed gotten away, his status now marked as a missing nin.

Her heart broken, she'd wanted to do nothing more then run away from the hospital and cry and yet…she'd also wanted to check on Naruto and at the very least, make sure that he was okay. He at least deserved that, but after seeing the extent of his injuries and that unwavering smile of his, she'd almost been ready to burst into tears right then and there.

Afterwards, she had decided to keep her distance away from him, wanting nothing more then to be alone with herself. Unfortunately, each time she made an attempt to resolve her thoughts on the matter involving Sasuke, the end result would end up in the same outpouring of her own pitiful tears.

It hadn't been until Naruto had shown up tonight that she had finally given in and allowed herself to openly weep in front of him, immensely enjoying the comfort that he had unselfishly provided for her. The fact that he cared so much for her own well being while she did nothing but loathe and ignore his made her heart ache with such misery.

"Sakura-chan?" Naruto's concerned voice broke through again, eradicating her train of thought. "Are you all right? You looked lost there for awhile," he asked with a slight frown.

"_I am lost…"_

"Sakura-chan?"

"Naruto…I'm sorry," she abruptly replied in a hushed voice, brushing some hair out of her eyes.

Confused, Naruto started to laugh nervously as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sakura-chan, I already told you not to worry about keeping me…" he started to say, but she shook her head.

"I mean, for everything," she clarified, her expression becoming somber.

Naruto's laughter came to an abrupt halt, his mind doing a double take, the look of puzzlement expectedly eminent on his face. "I don't understand, Sakura-chan. What do you mean 'for everything'?" he repeated, attempting to make some form of clarity out of her apology.

His question almost made her want too look away, almost regretting even saying anything to him, yet she forced herself to make eye contact with him.

"When…when we first graduated from the academy and I found out that I was going to be on the same team as Sasuke-kun, I was beyond ecstatic," she hesitantly began to explain. "The person who I had always admired would finally be obtainable, and I thought that I could make him mine. But after awhile though, I realized that no matter what I did or how much I cared for him, he would never return my feelings the way I wanted him too. The only thing he ever really cared about was the need for power." She had expected Naruto to jump in with a few choice comments by now, but to her immense relief, he quietly sat there and allowed Sakura to speak her mind just as she had granted for him earlier.

"The night that Sasuke-kun left, I went to go reason with him. I tried to persuade him into staying. I told him…" She suddenly stopped herself, unsure if she should continue or not but the sincerity in Naruto eyes gave some much needed courage. "I told him, that I loved him and that if he couldn't stay, then to at least take me with him," she quietly finished, her emerald eyes began to water once again at the painful recollection.

"I can't forgive myself for the way I acted towards you that morning," she continued. "I was so damn selfish. I never even once began to consider your feelings towards the whole situation nor consider the remote possibility that you could have been injured, or even killed during that mission because of my selfishness." She bit the bottom of her lip tenderly as sudden tears began to stain her cheeks, her wavering resolve beginning to slowly crumble once again.

Naruto had kept his silence this entire time, not wanting to interrupt or disrupt her musings, even though he had wanted to say something when she had mentioned the fact that she had been willing to leave the village in order to be with him. Anger suddenly began to coarse through him although he forced himself to smile superficially, if only for her sake.

"_Kami…she was willing to leave her friends, her family, even me behind...to be with him_," he sadly remarked to himself. "_Sasuke, you stupid bastard. How could you even think to leave her after all of that_?"

He cleared his throat. "Sakura-chan, I would have gone after Sasuke whether or not you had shown up. You shouldn't blame yourself for not being able to stop him from leaving the village. He chose to leave; he chose to join Orochimaru. There was nothing any of us could have done to prevent that," he tried to reason with her in a sensible manner, a feeling of compassion laced in his voice.

Sakura violently shook her head as she swept the back of hand against her face again. "That's not the point," she sniffed, glowering at him with a tenacious look.

"In all of this time that I've known you, there hasn't been one moment where you've done nothing but show me kindness, respect and the means of what a true friend should be. Instead of taking that time to notice what was really important to me. I cast you aside like mere dust in the wind, because of my stupid crush over Sasuke!" Her anger and sadness clearly evident in the missing honorific—something Naruto had never heard before—while tears continued to run down her cheeks. This time, however, she made no attempt to brush them away.

"You've always been there for me, no matter what. Always looking out for me, always protecting me, saving me." Her hands began to tremble around the cup; the tears flowing freely from her blurring eyes, splashing against the cup and table. "That day, when we went after Gaara. I thought it was Sasuke who had saved me from the sand. I even went and thanked him for it, but he'd told that it had been you who had saved me…and he was right, wasn't he?" A twinge of emotional despair had crept into her voice, but the resolve in her eyes was indication enough that she already knew the answer.

Sighing, Naruto tentatively nodded his head in compliance, unsure of what else to say to her. She was an emotional wreck at this point and he didn't want to wear her down any further, but he also didn't want to lie or hide anything from her either. As farfetched as it must have seemed to her, she also deserved to know the truth.

Her tears seemed to flow all the more harder as a look of bewilderment came over her. "How come you never told me?" she asked in a small, hurt voice.

Naruto's gaze immediately hardened at her question as he drained his cup before setting it back down on the table with a hard thump, his surprising irritation causing her to jump in her seat. "It wasn't important whether or not you knew at the time. As long as Sasuke was okay and you were out of harms way, that was all that was important," he replied curtly, not bothering to hide his present anger from her. "And if I had told you the truth before, would you have even believed me?" he coolly added.

Ignoring his sudden hostility, she quickly opened her mouth in an attempt to say something, anything that would have resembled a yes in some way or another. Yet her lips had barely formed the necessary words when her inner self suddenly chimed in.

"**_He's not as stupid as you pegged him out to be. Both you and him damn well know that you would have said no without missing a beat. He's been truthful to you from the start. The very least you could do is be honest with him…and to yourself!_**" Her inner persona angrily scolded.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut, causing her forehead to scrunch up tightly as she brought her trembling hands up to her face, shakily rubbing her eyes.

"I would have said no, and would never have even given it another thought," she answered him bitterly. "I would have tried to convince myself that only Sasuke could have managed to do something like that." The truth of her own words hurt immensely, her hands becoming tight balls of reddening fists while ignoring the endless outpour that refused to cease from her eyes. Her resolve was almost non-existent at this point yet she continued to find unexpected strength through Naruto's concerned gaze.

"How do you do it, Naruto? How do you manage to overlook all of my cruel and selfish acts and still find it in your heart to care so much about me? I've never earned your friendship or your trust, so what is it you see in me? Why do you try so hard to be there for me?" She banged her fists against his table, her desperation growing with each question. "I'm so sorry for the way I've always treated you, I know that can't ever make up for what I've done, but I…. I need to know why though?! Please, tell me why…WHY?!" she cried out in sudden wretched anguish, slamming her fists against the table again, hard.

Unable to hold them back anymore, the floodgates began to burst under the pressure of Sakura's raging distress as she began to cry hard. She hadn't wanted to break down like this in front of Naruto again but she couldn't stop herself anymore. "WHY, NARUTO, WHY?!" She continued to wail against her now open palms, her hands and face shaking uncontrollably from the emotional outpouring.

Naruto was rendered absolutlely speechless as he watched Sakura bawl, a prisoner of her own self-induced misery. Pushing his chair away from the table and standing up, a familiar disheartening smile—much like the one he'd worn just before making his promise to Sakura—appeared on his face.

Feelings of intense empathy gradually began to replace the brief anger he had harbored for Sakura as he walked over to her huddled form. He didn't really understand why her simple question had annoyed him the way it did. It might have been due to the uncomfortable fact that he wasn't used to seeing her broken down and reduced to this pathetic state of mind. Regardless, this wasn't the time to be debating something so insignificant.

Knelling next to her, Naruto lightly rested his palm comfortingly against her back. His knees had just touched the floor when she turned and fell against him, nearly knocking him over. Her arms quickly finding there way around his neck, Sakura buried her head into his chest, her desperate sobs once again shaking both of their bodies.

Resting his chin against her crown, Naruto fell silent. His left hand gingerly caressing the back of her head while continually rubbing her back with the other. As he knelt, Naruto could feel several parts of his chest growing wet from the warm moisture that had started to soak through the flimsy shirt he was wearing. Even though he was technically holding for the third time tonight, it was really the first time that she had initiated that action instead of him. It really painted a vivid picture of just how emotionally distraught she'd become out of all of this.

Minutes went by as she continued to cling to him desperately, seeming almost terrified that he would just vanish and leave her behind again. Naruto gently ran his fingers through her hair while whispering meaningless promises in her ear, hoping that through these simple motions, he could make her realize and understand that he wasn't going to go anywhere this time around.

Eventually, her fits of crying gradually began to subside, and a long, heaving sigh emanated from deep in her throat. Calming down, Sakura turned her head towards her sleeve wiping away the last of her salty tears.

With the realization that she was finally done, Naruto carefully lifted his head from hers as he pulled back to inspect her once more. "A-are you okay now?" he quietly asked.

Glancing up at him with teary red eyes, she shook her head. Her arms were still woven tightly around his neck, keeping them mere inches apart. "I got your bathrobe sleeve all wet," she pouted in a small voice.

Her coy remark caused Naruto to smile in satisfaction. "That's fine, don't worry about that," he chuckled, just feeling thankful that she wasn't crying anymore.

Giggling at her own comment, Sakura leaned forward, affectionately pressing her cheek against his right shoulder and snuggling against him for warmth. She mumbled, "You're sweet, you know?"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, feeling embarrassed at the sudden compliment. "Um…thanks," he sheepishly managed to put in.

"It's only the truth, Naruto," she replied as she squeezed him against her, keeping him close.

Eyelids starting to close, Naruto began to relax in her warm embrace, a feeling of tranquil peace washing over him. He had never been hugged by a girl before—the only exception being the landlord's wife when he had started living here as a child. The sensation was so unfamiliar, felt so new to him that he wanted to do nothing more but savior the feeling for as long as he possibly could. Gradually beginning to stir against him, the sound of her muffled voice forced him to abandon that possibility.

"...Naruto?"

He tilted his head down in response, "Something wrong, Sakura-chan?" he instantly inquired.

Sakura shook her head, "Oh no, it's just that…well, you never did answer my question."

"About…oh!" Naruto's muddled brain snapped back into focus, suddenly remembering why he had comforted her in the first place, anyways.

Sakura giggled at his dense but caring nature. "_Typical Naruto, always jumping into the fray without asking questions,_" she remarked to herself, a warm smile crossing her lips as she loosened her steadfast grip on him, finally allowing him some leeway.

Naruto was quiet while he thought of a response to her pressing inquiry. He never really considered the possibility that he'd have to answer a question like that but now, she had effectively put him on the hot seat.

There was one thing however: a certain precious characteristic that he had always admired ever since he'd known her. It had always endeared over the years and was the one thing he had come to love most about her. Leaning forward agian and resting his head against hers, Naruto smiled to himself. "Do you know what I like most about you, Sakura-chan?" he casually asked her, carefully altering the subject.

"What's that? My intelligence, my witty personality or is it just the fact that you secretly enjoy it when I _smack_ you now and again?" she prodded him teasingly; her curiosity remaining roused at his sudden question.

Continuing to smile, Naruto shook his head, dismissing all of her responses, "Actually, what I really admire about you...is how big of a heart you have."

His simple response caused her half-closed eyes to open abruptly, her pupils widening in confused protest.

"..._Huh?_"

**To be continued…**

**Author Note: **Happy Holidays to everyone.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**.

**Disclaimer: **I do not in any way own Naruto or any characters related.

11:36 PM:

"_I look like hell..._"

For the umpteenth time, Sakura sighed dejectedly as she starred vacantly at the red-eyed reflection that impassively gazed back at her. Her face looked dirty and disheveled with loose strands of pink hair clingling messily to her flushed forehead. She felt like she'd just run twenty consecutive laps around the village with additional weights strapped to both of her arms and legs.

After her bout of emotional distress, Naruto had lightly suggested for her to go to the bathroom and wash up while he finished cleaning up in the kitchen. She had offered to give him a hand, but he'd merely grinned while making the familiar hand signs for his trademark '_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_'. Taking the hint, she'd left the work up to him and his clones without any further protest.

Visions of portals sucking her into the unknown danced in her head while she'd reached for the doorknob. She had been almost dreading to see exactly what kind of state his bathroom was in. Walking inside, she had been somewhat shocked to find that it was the exact opposite. The room was surprisingly _clean_, almost un-Naruto-like to her.

"I guess he doesn't like a dirty bathroom anymore then the next person does," Sakura commented as she reached across the counter for a face cloth. Twisting the faucets on, she held the cloth underneath the steady flow as the water grew hotter. Once the heat became too much, she pulled the cloth away and twisted the cloth, expelling the excess water and pressed it up against her brow. She groaned in relief, the irritation in her spent eyes beginning to alleviate.

After a minute, she slowly pulled the cloth away and carefully looked herself over again. Other then some mild redness, there was a definite improvement. The tearstains that had lingered on her puffy cheeks were virtually gone. Satisfied, she briefly patted her face down before wringing the cloth out in the sink, placing it back where she had initially found it.

"**_Face it girl, you still look like hell!_**" Her inner persona bluntly pointed out.

Sakura ignored the comment while she fixed her hair in an attempt to make herself look a little more presentable. Even though it was only Naruto, he was still a boy, and she didn't much like it when boys looked at her like she was a spaced out zombie.

"This is pointless. It's not like I'm pretty or anything," she grumbled. "If I was, Sasuke-kun might not have left and—"

She roughly shook her head, unwilling to walk through this maze yet again. "No, I won't do this. Not again," she firmly told herself. "It's just like Naruto said: Sasuke-kun left because he chose to do so. I won't start torturing myself like this again."

"**_Better not,_**" her inner persona snarled menacingly.

Instead of responding, Sakura leaned over the sink, absently tracing her fingers over her hairline along the peak of her brow. A tight smile began to form along her lips as she began to remember several moments along her past as a child when she'd always been worrying about how the other kids perceived her. Feeling self-conscious about her forehead certainly didn't help matters either. She could remember on more then one occasion where she'd run to her mother, completely disheartened, because of some new cruel joke the kids had devised or else the teasing simply came to a point where she couldn't handle it anymore.

"_How we look on the outside, honey, isn't nearly as important as how we look on the inside,_" her mom would always explain in an attempt to console her while wiping the tears away. It was of little to no comfort for a girl who was only seven, but now that she was older and quite a bit wiser, she could understand the point that her mom had tried to install then in her young mind then.

With the exception of Ino, she couldn't recall Naruto ever teasing her for having such an abnormal-sized forehead. It might have been because of his mischievous nature or simply because of mimicking the other villagers' behavior towards him that she'd grown up resenting him. Now, after getting the chance to understand him a bit more, she regretted a great deal of that.

Naruto never really did explain why he'd always put up with her. How he could ever befriend somebody who had seen nothing but the annoying aspects of his personality. It boggled her mind to no end, and she hated herself for it. As smart as she was, she felt too ignorant to even attempt to understand, exactly, what Naruto had claimed to see so easily within her.

"Maybe it's better that way. A _bitch_ like me doesn't deserve to have a friend like him," she bitterly concluded. She'd selfishly arrived here with all the hopes of finding some kind of resolution to her tirade through Naruto, but all she'd found was more confusing questions that she felt she didn't deserve to know the answers too. She would just have to quit acting like an idiot and grow up on her own without always relying on Naruto like a security blanket to always bail her out of trouble. She promised herself, though, that if Naruto were ever in the same position, she would be there for him, just like he'd been there for her tonight. She owed him at least that much if not more.

Sakura sighed. "I should maybe just think about leaving. It's getting late, and keeping him up isn't really helping either of us," she declared, unaware of just how long she'd been standing in his bathroom. "Besides, he's going to suspect something's wrong if I stay in here any longer," she added. Giving her hair one last check, she opened the door and hurriedly walked out into the hallway.

"Hey, Naruto?" she called out, keeping her voice apologetic as she walked towards the kitchen, her quick movement causing the back of her robe to flap behind her. "Thanks for putting up with me, but I should probably get going and—"

Naruto glanced over his shoulder in mild surprise. "Hey, there, you're just in time. I found something for you to snack on," he gestured towards the table while he looked to be finishing up the last of the dishes. Glancing over at the spot he was pointing at, Sakura noticed a tall glass of chilled water next to a large, square portion of what looked to be angel food cake. "I found that in the fridge," he explained, while drying his hands. "My landlady likes to bake for me from time to time. I would have offered that to you while we were having tea, but I forgot all about it."

"You didn't have to do that," she hastily replied.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, the towel still in his hand. "I know that eating dessert in the middle of the night isn't exactly the healthiest. It's just that…. well, I thought you might be hungry," he added sheepishly. He didn't want to seem insensitive and say something that would remind her of the fact that she'd just been crying minutes ago. He was beginning to understand the importance of thinking about what a person should say before going ahead and actually saying it.

Appreciating the gesture, she issued him a light smiled as she reclaimed her seat at the table. "You're going to have some too, right? She asked him, already knowing that she wouldn't be able to eat the entire piece.

Naruto shook his head to decline the offer. "I'm not really hungry. Eat as much or as little as you want, and I'll be right back."

Sakura gave him a curious look. "Now where are you going?"

He smiled nervously. "Well, um, I kind of drank to much tea and, uh…. you were in the bathroom for quite awhile, and…" he allowed his voice to trail off, hoping that he'd provided enough of a hint for her without actually having to go into any further detail. The look of annoyance she skewered him with indicated that she knew, _exactly_, what he was referring too.

"I get the drift," she growled unappreciatively, bringing a halt to any further discussion on the subject. She'd put up with enough of that in the past.

Naruto jerked his head up and down in a shaky motion, his feet instantly propelling him into a dead run. "Sorry, Sakura-chan," he hastily apologized as he rounded the corner and into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.

She rolled her eyes as she recognized the hum of a bathroom fan slowly coming to life. "That dumb ass! Why didn't he just say he was going to the bathroom instead of making a big deal out of it?" she berated harshly, glaring at the sugary cake. Grabbing the fork he'd purposely left out for her, she viciously plunged it into the dessert and took a quick bite. "Stupid dummy—hey, this is pretty good!" she suddenly exclaimed, the raw explosion of flavor taking her by surprise, the annoyance completely forgotten.

Hunger had been one of the last things on her mind, yet she attacked the cake like it was a late assignment. "This is really tasty, but I'm still going to have to work it off tomorrow," she reminded herself. The last thing she needed was to gain unnecessary weight from indulging in such a moist treat. "I'll see if Naruto wants to do some training tomorrow. He is starting to feel better, and I wouldn't mind pounding on him for the fun of it," she grinned, elated at the inspiring thought while taking a drink of water.

She was still eating when a piece of paper poking out from an old ninja manual on the table caught her eye. Feeling curious, she tugged the wrinkled sheet of paper out from it's hiding place. From the first glance, it looked like some fast attempt at a drawing. It wasn't until she took a second closer look at the sketch, when she barely held back the sudden urge to burst out into fits of laughing. Staring back at her was a poorly drawn visage of Kakashi-sensei's face. A brief labeling of notes indicating points to strike, possible counters to various holds as well as several kunai and shuriken surrounded the sides of the portrait.

"This must have been drawn the night before the bell test," she determined, smiling at the nostalgic memories of that particular day. "We were all so nervous and hungry that morning. None of us could get a bell."

Giving the paper one last look, she slipped the paper back in the manual and slid it away. Picking up her fork again, she began to casually play with her half-eaten piece of cake. Her appetite had faded and the snack no longer seemed appetizing to her.

"I might as well just throw this away," she muttered, noticing the garbage can underneath his sink. Draining her glass, she stood up and hastily walked over and discarded the last piece of sweet cake into the trash. Setting the plate and fork into the sink, she turned around and leaned against the counter. The back of her robe created a simple cushion for her lower back as she casually folded her arms around her chest, wondering what she should do now.

"I really should go home," she told herself again, recalling her previous intentions. "It's starting to get pretty late, and if Okaa-san caught me…" she suppressed a shudder. The last thing she needed tonight was to have to put up with her mom's rants and raves about being out past curfew and so forth. Besides, even if she did want to leave, she wasn't going to be rude about it and just walk out while Naruto was still in the bathroom. For being such a nuisance, she needed to at least properly thank him.

She was still contemplating what to say and do when the humming noise in his bathroom began to fade. Seconds later, she heard the door open up, followed by his anxious footsteps thumping down the hallway.

"Sorry about that, Sakura-chan," he raggedly panted as he entered the kitchen. "I tried to make it as fast as I could and—"

"I really don't care to hear the details, Naruto," she curtly cut him off.

"Right, sorry again. How was the cake?" he quickly asked, thankfully changing the subject.

"Really good, thanks. I couldn't eat all of it, though. The piece was too big," she admitted.

Taking a seat, Naruto nodded, "That was actually the last of it," he explained. "I wasn't too sure how much you wanted so I just took it all out. You tossed the rest of it away?"

"That was okay, right?" Sakura asked.

Naruto nodded again as he began to lean back in his chair. "When I was younger, she would always make that cake for me," he began to reminisce. "It was mostly on bad days or else my birthday. Now, I try to tell she doesn't have to make it for me anymore, but it just goes through one ear and out the other. Still, it's nice to come home from missions to find something she made in the fridge," he added, a small smile on his face.

Sakura grew silent at that. To her, his landlady seemed like some surrogate mother that watched over him. It must have been hard for him to grow up without any real parents, yet she'd never heard him complain about it or anything. For those reasons, she would always consider him to be a stronger person then most. The pain of growing up alone, to her, would be unbearable.

"You're kind of quiet, Sakura-chan. Something on your mind?" he asked, hoping to nudge her into making conversation.

She'd almost replied with a 'no', but then changed her mind. Instead of pretending that she didn't have any questions, she could simply come out and say what was on her mind without fear of what he thought or for that matter what she thought for once. "How did you ever deal with growing up?" she asked him, mildly surprised at how blunt that came out.

Naruto gave her a curious look, then shrugged. "I had a lot of help, I suppose. Iruka-sensei was always there when I needed somebody to talk to. My landlord and his wife also helped out with a couple things here and there. Why do you ask?"

Sakura smiled tightly. "I don't think a lot of people could have handled what you grew up with and come out the way you did."

"The way I did?" he repeated, suddenly feeling nervous that Sakura might have known something about him that she shouldn't. At least, not now.

"Yes. Most people would probably be hostile or difficult to be around, but your different. You're always willing to help people, and you never back down from a challenge. You have a tremendous attitude, and it's very admirable."

Naruto scratched his head. "That's, umm, very nice of you to say, Sakura-chan." He still didn't know how to handle her generous comments, but he felt relieved that she was referring to his living arrangment, not the demon fox.

She shook her head. "No, Naruto. Like I said before, it's only the truth. I just…" her voice trailed off as she glanced down. "You're a very unselfish person, Naruto. You're always willing to help somebody in trouble without placing any regard to your own problems." She turned to gaze at him again, "But I'm selfish, Naruto. It's just a part of who I am and it's something that I can't ever change. I wish that I could but I can't."

"Sakura-chan? Are you—?" he began to say, but she waved a hand to ease his concern.

"I'm all right, Naruto. I promise that I won't bawl again. I don't want to put you, and me through that again. I just—could you answer something for me?

Naruto nodded, thankful that she wasn't going to start with the waterworks again. "Of course. Anything you want," he replied. His posture instantly straightening as he gave her his full attention.

Her lips became thin lines as she leaned forward, her hands casually laced together. "Earlier, you said you saw something in me, something about having a big heart. Well, I was kind of wondering exactly what you meant by that," she requested in the hopes of not seeming too anxious. "I promise that I won't overreact like I did earlier or hit you. I just...want to know, okay?"

He smiled apologetically, unaware that she'd taken such an interest in what he'd told her earlier. "I did kind of avoid the question, didn't I?" he gestured over to the chair on her end, indicating for her to have a seat. She hoped off the counter and walked towards the table, but instead of sitting, she picked the chair up and brought it over so that she was in front of him. Once it was in place, Sakura then sat down while brushing some loose hair away from her eyes.

Naruto pulled up his chair up a bit closer as well so that their knees were nearly touching. "You're a good person, Sakura-chan," he started to explain, "You always have been."

She immediately shook her head. "No, I'm not. Why would you even say that?"

"Because it's the truth, Sakura-chan. That's the kind of person you are," he answered sincerely, confused that she'd hadn't known that already. True, she was a little rough around the edges and she did like to express herself in a rather 'punchy' sort of way, but he'd always been able to count on her when ever he required help with something whether it was chakra control or something that he had difficulty in figuring out. She'd always been kind like that and not just with him, but with other people as well.

"Then you're seeing the wrong thing," she responded, swiftly denying the statment as she closed her eyes. Feeling that this had already been a waste of time, she was about to stand when warm, soap-scented hands tenderly grasped her by the cheeks, causing her to sit back down. Her eyes instantly opened at the bold gesture, yet she couldn't find the words necessary to get him to release her.

"You're wrong, Sakura-chan. You're one of the most caring individuals that I know," Naruto gently insisted as he continued to cup her cheeks softly, his fingers brushing along her pink hair. A light smile spread across his lips like a brush fire as he saw the confusion growing in her green orbs. "I'd notice that, just through the way Sasuke treated you. How he would always try and ignore you or else push you away like you were nothing but a waste of space. But...what I couldn't figure out was why you continued to allow yourself to be treated like that," he said, refering back to what he'd said to her a few hours ago.

Sakura sighed. "Ridiculous, isn't it?" She'd lost track of how many times she'd chased after Sasuke in the slim hopes of making him her boyfriend. Coming from Naruto made the whole thing seem even more foolish to her. How stupid she'd acted…

"Caring for somebody is never stupid, Sakura-chan. If it was, there would be no point in defending what's important to us," he explained, almost as if he'd been reading her thoughts.

She starred at him in slight disbelief. From him, that was actually a good response without being condescending. "I know that. I just…can't understand why he felt he needed to leave. Couldn't he have stayed here and grown stronger? Where we really holding him back that much?" she asked, a sense of frustration emerging in her questions.

He sighed inwardly, not really knowing how to answer her. He'd already asked himself those exact same questions and had turned up with nothing. Nobody else had been able to offer anything more. Ero-sennin had previously warned him that Sasuke was walking the same path that Orochimaru had gone down once before and that he should just accept that. Naruto of course had instantly refused to back down. He would always believe that one day, he would bring Sasuke back home where he truly belonged. Deep down, he knew that it was a selfish notion but he would always continue to hope.

"It won't do us any good to ask ourselves those questions," he finally answered. "We can split all the hairs we want, but it won't change the situation."

Sakura reluctantly nodded. He did have a point and she was getting tired herself of all of these 'what ifs'. They couldn't do anything about it now, but she would never give up either. One day, together, they would bring him back.

"Naruto?"

He gazed at her, "Yes?"

She gouged her fingernails into the back of his hands, causing him to cry out in pain. "What the heck was that for?" he yelled, immediately releasing her cheeks.

"You're changing the subject, again," she growled. "You did that before, and I won't allow it to happen again"

"About what?" he pouted, rubbing his hands to relieve the mild stinging.

Sakura sighed. She'd always wondered if hitting him all of the time caused his brain to shorten out like it tended too. Now, she was starting to believe it. "Forget it, Naruto. It's nothing. Don't worry about it—"

"Sakura-chan...It's because I love you."

Those simple words caused her to freeze up, her brain attempting to justify what he had just said to her. Her mouth opened and closed several times but she couldn't find the words needed to reply.

Clearly noticing her confusion, he patted her on the knee to reassure her. "I mean, I love you as a friend. I'm not trying to pledge my soul or anything. I just want to let you know that I care for you and that I always will." Coming from him, those words were in some way, only half-satisfying. He wanted so much to tell her the whole truth, yet he knew that if he did that, she would only turn him down or else slap him across the head. Judging from her reaction, she was already having difficulty comprehending this new information.

"Naruto...that...that means a lot to me. It really does, but…" Her voice trailed off. Having been caught off her guard, Sakura didn't know what to say to something like that. She didn't want to break his heart by telling him something that she couldn't possibly mean; it would just be a lie.

"Sakura-chan. I already understand. Don't worry about that. I never expected anything in return. I value our friendship and would never do anything to violate that. I only...wanted to let you know how I felt about you," he said, suppressing the urge to swallow. He'd always known that Sakura's heart and soul belonged to Sasuke. He'd figured that out a long time ago when she'd first started talking about him. If he still brought her joy, then he would do nothing but continue to support that. Like he'd said before, she deserved to be content.

Noticing her empty glass, he asked if she wanted it refilled. He'd briefly heard her utter a 'please' but he hadn't really been paying attention. Right now, he needed something to keep him occupied again for the moment. Snatching her glass, he rose from his chair and walked over to sink. He almost felt like his heart wanted to shatter into thousands of pieces. Just like earlier on the bridge, feelings of both relief and anxiety passed through him like adrenaline. It was hard to just sit there and pretend to tell her that he wanted nothing more then friendship from her, when he wanted so much more. It was getting difficult to lie to her, and even more difficult to lie to himself.

Letting the water grow cold, he took a long, deep breath and slowly let it out. "_Maybe…I should just concentrate on my training, and give up on her completely,_" Naruto considered to himself with dejection. He should have known better then to say anything when he already knew the answers, yet he'd always held on to that lingering strand of hope and now that was all but fading. It would be difficult to go through days without picturing her bright hair waving in the wind or the scents that floated around her like a divine bouquet of flowers. It was almost like denying the body's need for air.

He would always love her. That fact would never change, and even if she never returned his feelings. He would continue to be there for her in life and beyond, but her words had clearly set the parameters and now it was finally time to come to grips with himself and accept reality. He'd briefly made a start earlier, but now he was willing to follow through completely with that notion and give up for good.

Feeling better with his decision, he filled the glass up and shut the tap off. He began to say, "I hope you like your water really cold because—!"

A pair of slender arms wrapped themselves around his waist; nearly causing him to drop the glass he'd been holding in the sink. Looking back in surprise, Naruto immediately recognized the bright orange color of his bathrobe. The light pressure of Sakura's head pressed firmly against his upper back as she clutched him against her. For the second time tonight, he was rendered completely speechless. He didn't know how to respond to this startling, bold gesture or what to say.

"You're not thirsty?" the words spilled themselves out embarrassingly. He would have kicked himself for saying something so stupid if he could.

She chuckled. "I'm fine. Did I scare you?" she asked.

"Umm, no, I heard you," he lied unconvincingly. Even with Kyuubi's heightened senses intermingling with his own, Naruto had been so lost in his own thoughts that he hadn't even heard her sneak up behind him. He could practically hear the fox's mocking laughter.

"I don't think you did, Naruto. What if I had been an enemy?" Her head pulled away from him, her grasp still firm around his waist while she waited for an answer.

He laughed. "I would have given you credit for being original. Besides, how you can be sure that I'm not a clone?"

She was quiet while considering that. Naruto suddenly yelped as he felt his arm being pinched. "That's one way to tell," she grinned as he turned around to face her, his back still pushed against the side of the counter.

Looking down at her arms with with an uneasy expression, Naruto asked, "Is there something wrong, or..."

She shook her head. "No, nothing's wrong, Naruto. I just felt like giving you a hug, or did you _want _me to let you go?" she added sarcastically while making sure it sounded like a genuine threat.

Taking the hint, Naruto quickly shook his head, awkwardly encircling his arms around her shoulders, still not at all used to this type of gesture without receiving the customary bop on the head in reaction. It was still something he was having trouble getting accustomed to.

"That's better," she cooed as she pressed her forehead against his shoulder, her felt-covered arms pulling him against her. Unsure of what to do, he grasped her gently by the shoulders. His tension slowly began to ease away as he again grew comfortable in her embrace. He could feel the vibrations of her heart, beating against his own chest.

"_This girl…just when I think she can't surprise me any further, she goes and pulls this stunt?_" he thought to himself. He'd remembered Shikamaru saying something before about girls being troublesome. Might as well add confusing to the list.

"Not that I mind, but what brought this on?" he quietly asked, keeping the question as light sounding as possible.

Sakura bit her lip. She could understand why he'd ask her something that sounded so ridiculous. The very idea of hugging Naruto or showing any type of friendly affection towards him would never even have crossed her mind. She was either going exceptionally soft or else her tolerance level of the blond prankster had somewhat increased during her visit. Either way, she found him exceptionally comfortable at the moment.

"Just my way of saying thanks...for putting up with me," she finally said. "I've been such a wreck during these past couple days, and you've been such a—"

"Security blanket?" he supplied for her.

She'd used that exact same word to describe her reasons for coming her. Now, Naruto had used that very same word to justify her behavior. Even though it was meant to be teasing, it had still sent a shock right down to her very core. It instantly caused her to question the very reasons of why she'd come here in the first place. Had she really only come here because she knew she could find comfort in the form of Naruto? Had all of these aspects about finding '_answers to questions'_ simply been a ruse and Naruto was merely considered appropriate only during times when she was to weak to overcome the burdens of life?

The cheery sound of his laughter cut into her musings. "I was just kidding, Sakura-chan. Really, I'm just glad that you're not crying anymore. Seeing you as miserable as you have been really had me worried," he said.

Sakura lightly squeezed him in reassurance, casting her negativity aside. She'd been regreting too much as it was and it wasn't in her place to question his feelings or continue to berate herself for what she did and didn't deserve. If Naruto considered her important, then she wouldn't probe him about it any further. It was his choice and she wouldn't impede that in any way.

"You've been great tonight, Naruto. I really am feeling better and I owe it all to you," she said, pulling her head away but keeping him at arm's length. "If there's anything I can ever do for you, just say the word and I'll be there. Just nothing weird or perverted," she quickly added.

Naruto chuckled and shook his head. "You don't owe me a thing. All I did was act like a friend, pure and simple," reminding her once again of the fact that he considered her one of his best friends. She could only hope that she could be as good a friend to him, as he was to her.

"Sakura-chan, there is something that I do want you to promise me, okay?" his tone becoming serious, almost to the point of commanding.

She involuntary nodded, already having a clue to what he was going to ask of her. She was briefly glad of the fact that he didn't have a rigid personality.

Naruto briefly cleared his throat before continuing, "I want you to promise me, the next time that something's bothering you or your having trouble dealing with something. I want you to come and see me about it. It doesn't even have to be me, but I want you to come out and say what's on your mind instead of bottling up inside of you, alright?"

Sakura nodded as she pulled him against her one last time, squeezing him and then letting him go entirely. "I will, Naruto. I'm also starting to realize that maybe in the end, this was all for the best. I need to just move on with myself and let go of Sasuke-kun."

"Move on?" he slowly repeated.

"Yeah. I've been acting like a kid for too long now, maybe it's time to finally grow up, accept the facts and move on. I'll still always love him, but I won't mope about his leaving like a pouting child, either," she regarded firmly.

"I—I understand," he responded, pleased with the fact that she had finally taken her first steps into full acceptance. Year's ago he had had to do the exact same thing. Finding the strength, necessary, to forge forward despite the words and cruel actions of the villagers. With the help of his important people, he had broken free of all shackles and was now on the path to one day becoming the Hokage. Now, she too had risen from her own personal abyss and was on the road to recovery.

"So, what will you do now?" he asked her.

Sakura pondered that for a few brief seconds. "I was thinking of asking Tsunade-sama if she'd be willing to take me on as her apprentice. It would probably do me quite a bit of good to learn how to fight properly and the ability to heal would also be beneficial on missions."

He was about to nod at that when a horrifying image of Sakura, lifting and shattering rocks, sprang to mind. "You mean, you'd actually want to have super strength?" he tentatively asked.

She shot him a grin to reaffirm her plans. "You bet! I think it'd be great to learn how to do that," smacking her fist against her open palm to emphasize the point.

Naruto cringed at her enthusiasm. She would definitely get much stronger, but he'd have to really watch what he said around her in the future or else he'd receive more then just a simple belt across the head. Life altering injuries were slowly coming to mind. "She'd be a good teacher for you," Naruto finally managed to say, somehow managing to hide his nervousness at her decision knowing that it was for the best after all.

She patted him on the shoulder in thanks for his support. "I'll go and ask her tomorrow, then," she said.

He quickly made a vow that he would not allow himself to be used as a practice dummy for any of her new techniques. If Tsunade-baa-chan was willing to teach her, then by all means fine. He just wasn't going to get his brains bashed in during the process, although that healing aspect did sound like a good idea. Sasuke would definitely be in for quite a shock the next time.

"Something wrong, Naruto?" she asked, having noticed the tight expression on his face.

He was about to say that he was fine when the unexpected desire to tease her peeked his interest. After all, the tension had basically diminished and she had insisted that she was feeling better. She would never expect it, and the trick itself was completely harmless. Faking a look of surprise, he appeared to examine her closely. "Not really. I just didn't know you were...such a messy eater, Sakura-chan," he said, gazing at her in amusement.

She issued him a dirty look. "What do you mean?

"You have some icing on your cheek," he replied, pointing towards her face.

Making a sound between annoyance and disgust, she proceeded to swipe a hand along the indicated area, feeling embarrassed that she'd been talking this whole time without even realizing it. "Is it gone?"

Naruto shook his head, "Nope, it's still there."

Sakura made another quick swipe across her face, checking her hand to see if she'd succeeded in wiping the sugary substance away. "Is it gone now?" she asked again.

Again, Naruto shook his head. "No, still there. Did you want me to get it?" he offered to help.

Without even thinking, she nodded impatiently. She couldn't feel anything on her cheek, yet Naruto continued to insist that there was still a small blotch of icing on her face. She was starting to get annoyed at how long it was taking for Naruto to find the icing. It's not like it was trying to hide or anything. It was either there or it wasn't. "Well?" she grumbled.

"Yep, there it is. Want me to get it off?" he asked, his tone painfully innocent.

"Yes, already!" she growled irritably.

Leaning forward, he went to lift his hand like he was preparing to wipe it away but as he did so; his face slowly crept forward as if intending to get a closer look at it. Sakura was just about to berate him again, when she felt the warm touch of his lips press against her lower cheek.

"Got it!" he exclaimed as he quickly pulled back, a gloating smile on his face while he pretended to lick the icing off of his lips.

Sakura couldn't hold back the bright blush that was quickly enveloping her cheeks like a raging fire. The gesture had been so sudden and out of place that she couldn't even began to get upset with him. Even though it had been a simple kiss on the cheek, she'd always expected it to be from her first crush, not from the grinning blonde dummy that sat across from her. She'd managed to hide it from him earlier, but from this close proximity, Naruto could clearly make out the notable twinge of redness on her face.

He began to howl in laughter and at her expense no less. It wasn't helping matters that her face continued to burn in embarrassment. "Gosh, Sakura-chan! I didn't know your face turned those kind of colors," he managed to gasp before stumbling out of his chair, his insides beginning to ache from all of the commotion he was making.

He was so busy trying to control himself that he failed to catch the light cracking noises of Sakura tightly clenching her fists together. If looks could have killed, Naruto and the entire area in front of him would have been instantly vaporized into atomic particles. Quietly rising from her chair, her bare feet didn't make a sound as she slowly walked up behind him like a lion stalking its oblivious prey. In her mind, the puzzle of rationality had been broken apart; now those pieces began to shape together to form a picture of Naruto lying haphazardly on the floor in a broken heap. She was just about to extend her arms out in a strangle-like motion, when a sudden moment of inspiration brought a change to her murderous ambitions. Her look of fiery rage slowly shifted into a cool, calculating smile while she began to conjure something that was a little more 'appropriate' in mind. She'd warned him before about trying to trick her. He'd succeeded this time, but now, he would pay dearly for those actions.

"**_That's right! S_****_how that little bastard just what happens when he goes too far!_**" inner Sakura shouted gleefully, issuing her approval.

Naruto was just beginning to recover, wiping the last few tears that he had shed in the aftermaths of the joke he'd played on her. "I'm sorry for tricking you like that, Sakura-chan. I just figured it was a nice change of pace and you were pretty worried about that icing being on your face, so I just figured—"

"Oh, Naruto-kun?" an unfamiliar sultry voice cut him off. The tone itself seemed to be lathered in rich, sweet honey.

The sudden use of the honorific-suffix sent a chilling sensation down the base of Naruto's spine as he slowly turned around, Sakura's pleasant looking face gradually coming back into focus. "Y-yes, Sakura-chan?" he stuttered, his sense of hearing still shocked by the affectionate use of his name while butterfly's began to bounce wildly in the pit of his stomach. Instead of replying, she sauntered up to him in an alluring fashion. The back of his orange robe responded to the subtle swaying of her hips as she crossed the distance between them. Catching his gaping reaction, the corners of her mouth began to curl into a sly smile while her emerald green eyes sparkled with secret knowledge.

Naruto tried to move backwards, but his feet felt like they'd been glued to the floor. As hard as he tried, body and brain weren't able to work together. He could only watch in stunned silence while she made her way closer and closer towards him. Beads of nervous sweat began to roll down his back and forehead as the realization that he was trapped, slowly began to sink in.

"_This can't be…it isn't_—" Naruto's mentally stumbled in a desperate attempt to make sense of this situation. It wasn't until he felt the cool, uncommon touch of her hand trace along the side of his cheek when he realized that this was by no means a simple dream. For him, it could only be described as the very epitome of heaven, his earlier intentions to give up on her were disappearing like dry leaves on a warm breeze.

He was beyond perplexed.

He was beyond relieved.

He was beyond happy.

He was beyond foolish.

Naruto had absolutely no comprehension to what Haruno Sakura had in store for him...

**To be continued…**

**Author Note: **Sorry about the late update.For some reason, this chapter took quite awhile to write up. I must have redone it about three times before it came out the right way. Still working the bugs out. Anyways, thanks for reading or skimming through it so far and i'll try to get the next chapter out a little quicker next time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or any characters related.

12:25 AM: 

There were only a few moments in his life when Naruto could recall his heart ever beating as fast as it was right now. Of course, his heart always did tend to beat a little faster around her—but never like this. He felt as if his innermost fantasies were merging through his own scope of reality in order to create this unfathomable, pleasant situation that he was in.

Nothing else seemed to exist. The kitchen—once full of objects and appliances—had now faded into nothingness, creating instead a dark, peaceful environment that almost felt like it had been especially reserved for just the two of them. His senses seemed to block and disregard anything that was considered invalid or of little use too him, concentrating simply on the girl that stood before him like some benevolent creature that had been summoned from the very fields of paradise.

He was already persuaded that this was in no way genjutsu, or any other type of ninja tactic being applied. If her brazen touch wasn't adequate to sway him completely, the painful pressure of his own nervously, constricted hands were more then ample enough to break through any sort of illusion he might have been trapped in.

Naruto felt as if his knees were about to buckle while her hand continued to trace across his face. Like a cat batting around a helpless mouse, his growing apprehension almost seemed to bolster her attempts at making him quiver into a puddle of gooey jelly.

Sakura, on the other hand, had never imagined that it could be so simple to draw Naruto into the web that she was meticulously spinning for him. She knew that it was cruel, practically a crime to play on such a sensitive vulnerability such as this one. However, the idea had been designed specifically with the intentions of catching him off guard. Based on his look of intense surprise and the sweat pouring off his forehead, she would have to say that the plan was coming off to a successful start.

"_Maybe next time, he won't be so cocky._"

Deciding to switch gears, she carefully slipped her other hand against the opposite side of his face and moved in even closer, at the last moment diverting off to the right, bringing her own cheek alongside his as if she was about to reveal some wondrous secret.

He'd just started to gain some form of control over his rapid breathing when he almost choked on his own saliva. The unexpected feeling of her moist, warm breath brushing against his earlobe sent another series of electrical jolts though his body. Whatever composure he had managed to retain up to this point was nearly depleted.

Sakura was almost certain that if she had taken her hands away, he would have wilted to the floor in a dead heap. Even though it was nice that she had this kind of effect on him, this also wasn't something that couldn't be abused, either. Taken to far, she could unknowingly hurt him, and that was the last thing she ever wanted. This was even a bit of a stretch, but he was already well into it. Not much point in backing out now.

"_Besides_," she gleefully reminded herself. "_In about a minute or so, he'll be to busy worrying about other things…._"

His resolve breaking, Naruto made an attempt to snap out of the physical spell he'd fallen into, but it was just no use. The feeling of her smooth, warm hands on his face, her body heat mixed with the soft fragrance of her hair and skin in addition to her silky breath against his lobe was simply too much to handle. Add to the fact that it was _Sakura_ of all people, and he was pretty well hooked like a fish. The only thing left to do was to quell that small buzzing within his brain that continued to insist that this was nothing but a well-designed plot, and that he was walking right into it like a hopeless fool.

He shook his head, reattempting to convince himself that this was not a lie; that all of this was very much real and alive. And it was; he could see her, hear her, feel her and smell her. Taste was the only thing that was missing, but surely that would just be a matter of time before that happened. Surprisingly, he wasn't as nervous as he thought he'd be about experiencing his actual, first kiss. After all, that peck on her cheek hadn't resulted in any harm, and now look what was happening. It just goes to show that nothing ventured, nothing gained—

And that's when it hit him.

Ever since he'd pulled that prank, the predictability he'd expected in her reaction had gone completely topsy-turvy. He could never have anticipated something like this ever happening which was probably why it had thrown him off in the first place. He'd been too surprised in the beginning to wonder if this was some elaborate gag, but now having pieced it together, Naruto began to understand what was really going on.

"_And since when does she ever call me Naruto-kun?_"

Still, he didn't find himself upset or at all disappointed by this new knowledge. If anything, it had only further emphasized the choice he had set for himself. Unless the sky was falling, the Sakura he knew would never do something this forward, especially with him unless it carried some form of purpose that he figured would be coming along soon enough.

And as a prankster himself, he had to admit that this was actually a pretty good joke, an effective joke, and he would have to give her credit where it was due after this was all over with. After all, he'd probably deserved it for tricking her in the first place. The only problem now, was how to let her know he'd caught on without being a dork about it. He finally decided that it would be best by simply playing along and not letting her know otherwise.

"Naruto-kun," she softly whispered, her mouth mere inches away from his ear while her slender fingertips continued to stroke alongside his face—oblivious to his awareness of the situation, "Could I…ask you something?"

"_Pretending not to act confused won't be an issue here_," he thought; still surprised at how easy this was for her to maintain without fumbling.

"What is it, Sa-Sakura-chan?" he replied, the nervousness still present.

Naruto suddenly gasped, having sworn that he felt the very tip of her tongue brush against his tender earlobe. If she kept this up, joke or no joke, he was literally going to keel over. Whatever it was she had in mind, he wished that she would just bop on the head already and be done with it.

As if reading his mind, she tilted her head so that the curve of her lips were almost skimming against his quivering ear and whispered in the same soft tone, "Did you really think that you could kiss me on the cheek, without my permission, and get away with it…idiot?"

Before Naruto even had a chance to register her question, she was already springing into action. Allowing the façade to drop and moving faster then he'd ever thought possible, she pulled away from him and instantly went into a sturdy combat stance, the transformation taking no more then a split second.

Shocked at the fast movement; Naruto fell backwards against the floor in a haphazard state due to the loss of her hands and a momentary lack of strength in his legs and knees. His lower back and butt throbbed in result to his hasty tumble.

"Ouch!" he grunted, his hand automatically falling towards the small of his back as he half sat/half laid there in front of her in a heap. "I did sort of deserve that," he managed to laugh, ignoring his own mild sting of embarrassment as he began to look up, "I guess that means were even now, Sakura…chan," he drew the suffix out, unsure of what he was seeing.

Naruto quickly noticed that her eyes had shifted from bright and alluring into narrow, angry slits. Her face was scrunched up in annoyance, while her breath's came out in short, heavy huffs. Tightly bunched fists quivered along her sides while she stared down at him unmercifully, her mood having taken on a frighteningly new change.

"Did you think, Naruto, that you could actually trick _me_, and get away with it?" she asked him again, taking a menacing step towards him. The abrupt icy edge in her question was hardly pleasant.

Naruto shook his head in total confusion as he began to slide himself backwards, hoping to Kami that he could escape from her unexplainable wrath. He'd made a brief start to get to his feet, but she was too close, and he had no way of knowing if he could make it up in time before she had a chance to maim him. Lying on the ground like this, he'd never felt such a feeling of being vulnerable like he did right now. It terrified him.

"Sa-Sakura-chan, I-I don't understand," he stuttered candidly, wishing desperately that he were somewhere else right now. _Anywhere_, except here, would have been fine.

"That's right, you don't understand," she replied darkly. "I've warned you before about your practical jokes, but you didn't listen, and now it's too late. All the times that I punched you before, those are nothing compared to what I'm going to do you now!" she bellowed, her voice almost rivaling that of Tsunade-baa-chan when she was in her own foul mood.

Naruto started to scurry backwards in full-blown panic, his arms and legs flailing madly, any attempt to be civil about this was quickly abandoned. As fast as he was going, it wasn't nearly enough to create any sort of distance from Sakura, her rapid footsteps easily closing in on him. Eventually, she would catch him and then the chase would ultimately be over. He just hoped that she would be kind enough to leave him in one piece.

Instead of this being some stupid prank, had he unknowingly violated some invisible boundary that she'd set up as some sort of defense? That would have made sense, especially now, but it didn't completely explain why she was overreacting like this. He'd never seen her so mad before, but he sure as hell wasn't going to stop and ask questions about it either. Someway, or somehow, he was going to have to fix this.

He was just about to make another desperate attempt at calming her down when the back of his head bumped against something hard and solid. Tilting his head back, he immediately caught the familiar side of his coffee table. Ignoring the ache in the back of his skull and urgently using the edge as a brace, Naruto was just about to haul himself to his feet when a solid pressure of weight on his lower chest prevented him from getting up.

Naruto sighed in defeat, clearly noticing the foot that was pressed firmly against his tight abdomen. Looking up, he took in the piercing looking expression that remained present on her like some ANBU mask that had seen its share of battles. It was almost a shame, he thought, to see someone so pretty make such a sour face.

"End of the line. Naruto," Sakura announced, clearly stating the obvious.

Resting his head against the floor, Naruto nodded, already knowing that he couldn't talk himself out of this. He'd already given up in trying to figure out the complexities of this whole mess, and it was simply too late in the evening to figure anything out, _period_. He just hoped that she'd clobber him hard enough so that he didn't experience any pain. Sakura was also going to have to explain to baa-chan and Shizune how he'd ended up injured, _again_.

Busy with his thoughts, Naruto finally took note of the fact that her foot was no longer pinning him down. Instead, she had taken and shifted it over so that was on the other side of him. In a move that was as smooth and quick as her previous, she bent her waist down, crouching down against the floor and straddled Naruto's lower abdomen. Reaching out with her hands, she grabbed the collar of his shirt and forcefully lifted his head off the floor, bringing him up to her level. She then squeezed her calves and thighs around his waist, making sure that he couldn't escape or try to push her away.

More surprised then intimidated, he gulped, finding himself in the familiar proximity that this situation had been derived from. Her beautiful green eyes burned brightly, almost as if she was trying to singe a hole through him. Instead of shrinking or avoiding eye contact with her, he pushed his own gaze forward so that he found refuge deep within those pools where the soul supposedly resided. He wondered if the color of her essence was such a beautiful, invigorating shade of green. Sakura would never know it, but she'd done him a favor by allowing him this glorious opportunity to look at her this freely without having to be sneaky about it.

Another tug on his collar brought him back to the situation at hand. "It's time for your punishment, Naruto," she announced. "Is there anything you want to say before I let you have it?" That question almost made him want to chuckle, but the threat in her voice suggested that she was dead serious about the whole manner.

He'd considered apologizing, but why? It had only been a small kiss on the cheek, nothing more, certainly nothing harmful. He still wondered why he'd even gone ahead with it. Breaking the tension seemed logical at the time, but maybe it was also because he knew that he'd never get the chance again. He'd already accepted the fact that she would never see him beyond anything but a friend. Maybe in time, things would change, but he couldn't dwell on that possibility like a dog chasing after it's own tail. No, he was done with that tirade. His resolve had set him free, and he wasn't about to be shackled down by false hopes. Becoming Hokage would be difficult enough.

Pulling himself back, Naruto looked Sakura straight in the eye and put on a bright, crooked smile. "Nope. I deserve it," he answered. "Just cover me up with a blanket whenever your done beating me up."

Sakura nodded, accepting his request, though for a brief moment, Naruto could have sworn that he saw Sakura's expression soften just slightly. To him, it almost seemed like she might be having second thoughts about the whole thing but having remembered what he'd done earlier, her expression again hardened.

"Close your eyes, and I'll make it quick. Your used to it anyways," she ordered, releasing her right hand from his collar and starting to wind it back. Naruto shrugged, but did as she requested, his expression calm and serine as he prepared himself for whatever she had in store.

After making sure his eyes were closed, Sakura took the hand that she had been pretending to wind back and swept a few dangling hairs away from her eyes. Dropping the second façade, she finally allowed the smile that she'd held back for so long to finally slip into place; impressed that she'd managed to keep that charade going for as long as she had.

That first part had been surprisingly easy to execute. A little femininity along with some light physical contact had been more then enough to lower Naruto's meager defenses. It had been a bit of a cruel tactic, but it had been the only thing she could think of that would have thrown him off balance.

The second part though, that had been tricky. To project that much hostility without actually being angry had been a challenge. He hadn't made it easy either. There were several moments where she'd considered abandoning the whole thing because of how frightened he'd looked when she'd been chasing him down, not that she could blame him either. It's almost impossible to make sense of anyone who goes from one extreme to the next.

"_Poor Naruto. I wonder if this'll make up for putting you through all of that?_" Sakura thought to herself, the last part of this grand scheme that she'd concocted finally coming into play as she brought her head down to level with his. The tip of her tongue wetting her lips as she leaned in closer and closer…

"_How long is this going to take?" _Naruto thought to himself in minor agitation. "_I wish she'd just punch me and get it over with so that I can_—"

A brief, warm pressure on the left corner of his mouth brought a startling halt to all of his internal griping. His eyes opening swiftly, Naruto caught the tail end of Sakura pulling away, an impish smile remaining on her lips as she examined his bewildered expression.

"What did—what did you just—?" Naruto struggled to speak, his hand instantly coming up from the floor to trace along his tingling skin where her lips had been.

"How was that for a smack, Naruto?" Sakura teasingly asked, seemingly pleased with his reaction as she released his collar, freeing him from her grasp.

Naruto didn't answer her, his thought process still too disoriented by what just happened. His weary mind working desperately to make some sense out of this whole thing. He had already known that the event of her coming onto him was all a big hoax. He might have been dense in a lot of aspects, but he understood her well enough to know that she would never have acted that way around him with out an ulterior motive.

That second part of her getting upset with him had made a lot more sense to him, though it had been the first time he'd ever seen her in such a predatory mood. He'd been certain that he was going to receive the beat-down of a lifetime from her; had practically expected it for the embarrassment that he'd inflicted on her. And in the end, instead of beating him up, she'd chosen to peck him on the corner of his mouth?

Naruto felt his cheeks flush, still unable to comprehend the fact that she had kissed him. _Kissed him_, of all people. Only in his deepest fantasies had he ever hoped for something like that to possibly happen. Not accidental or out of clumsiness either, but an honest, uninhibited kiss from her. This hadn't been precisely on the lips, and not entirely on the cheek either, but something in between.

From the way she was smirking, it was anything but an accidental exchange. Definitely deliberate from the way her smile grew. It wasn't helping that he was blushing like a dummy in front of her and that she seemed to be eating the whole thing up like that cake from earlier…

And then it hit him like a second load of bricks.

The use of the suffix; her mood changes; that kiss, the whole thing had simply been designed to confuse and shift his attention in every which way so that he could never figure out what was going on. She'd done all of that, just to get the same effect that he'd achieved from her earlier. His big mistake was that he had only figured out the obvious and hadn't gone any further, something that he would definitely need to improve on in the future.

"_A joke. The whole thing had been nothing but a stupid joke._"

Flabbergasted, Naruto flopped himself against the floor, his head coming to rest against the side of the table. "Sakura-chan…you scared the hell out of me!" he loudly protested.

She stuck her tongue at the complaint, rising smoothly to her feet. "Pounding on you would have been too easy," she explained, her arm extending downward to offer him a hand up. "I figured you fearing for your life would be a lot more effective in the long run."

Glancing at the hand uneasily, he considered the frank possibility of her letting go of him so that he fell back on the floor again for her own amusement. Reluctantly, he accepted the invitation while bracing one hand against the sturdy table, just incase she did decide to drop him. Once he was on his feet, he gently slipped his hand out from hers, clearing some space behind him so that he could sit at the very edge of the table; not really feeling like standing at the moment. His knee's were still weak from earlier and the last thing he felt like doing was embarrassing himself even further by not being able to stand on his own two feet.

"To much excitement?" Sakura asked, taking note of his weary posture.

Draping his arms over his upper thighs, Naruto shot her a tired, dirty look to express his feelings on that particular question. "You might say that. And remind me never to play a prank on you again."

Sakura chuckled, shaking her head. "You started it, Naruto. You of all people should have known what happens when you try to be sneaky. You're just lucky that I let you off as _easy_ I did."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at her definition of 'easy', but said nothing to counter her statement. Despite his earlier apprehension, her extravagant prank filled him with a sense of relief. And it was finally nice to see some improvement in her demeanor. Even with the consequences starring right at you, there were just something's that needed to be done for the sake of change.

He suddenly bit back the difficult urge to yawn. It was way past his bedtime now, and he didn't know how much longer he could keep himself awake. Falling asleep on Sakura was the last thing he wanted to do, but it also wasn't going to help matters if he began to ramble about trivial things. He'd helped her to get over this hurdle with Sasuke, or so he hoped. He'd also helped her to find a sense of purpose and direction for her talents of chakra control. Naruto knew that if Sakura did manage to persuade Tsunade-baa-chan into apprenticing her, she would have a very difficult challenge in store—but Sakura had always thrived on challenge, the need to prove people wrong when it came to her abilities. And Naruto knew that if anyone could get the best out of Sakura, it would be the fiery Godaime.

A light tap on his head brought him back to reality. Involuntary rubbing his crown, he looked up to see Sakura starring back at him, a bemused looking expression laced on her face. He had started to zone out again, and she'd caught him in the act. "Something you wanted, Sakura-chan?" he asked, still being in the right state of mind to act like a host while attempting to shift her attention away.

It hadn't worked, but she also didn't feel like giving him the gears for staying up for her sake. Really, it was her own fault for still being here, when she knew that she should have left some time ago. It just seemed like every time she had tried to leave, Naruto had seemingly found some way to keep her there. Not that she been clawing her way through the walls in his bathroom, or making any desperate lunges towards the door in the past hour either. She probably would have taken her leave if he hadn't offered her something to eat.

"No, I'm good, really good, Naruto. But, I think…that maybe it's time you thought about getting to bed," she said, being considerate about his own well-being for once.

Feeling more relieved then disappointed; Naruto rested his chin atop of the loose fist he'd lifted from his leg, smiling at her. "It's that obvious?"

Sakura peered at him. "Your eyes look redder then mine do."

"Is that even possible, Sakura-chan," he asked, chuckling as she lightly socked him on the shoulder.

"Very funny, Naruto," she replied.

"I thought it was too," he added, leaning back to avoid another lazy shot to the arm; enjoying the fact that he could be this playful with her without receiving that intense burst of backlash he'd been so used too in the past. Despite coming to difficult terms with his own feelings, he was glad that she had shown up here tonight. It would have been nice if it had been under better circumstances, but he'd already decided that he was okay with everything.

"What are you smiling at?" she asked, allowing a touch of mock-seriousness to creep into her voice.

Naruto smirked, not caring if he got caught. "Nothing important," he said.

She briefly glanced at him before mentally shrugging, deciding that it wasn't necessary enough to probe into any further, "If you say so, but I'm going to use your bathroom, 'kay?"

Naruto stared up at her. "Believe me, Sakura-chan. The last thing I'd ever want to do is stop you," he teased, ignoring the dirty look she shot him with.

"I'm just being polite, you dummy," she huffed, briefly considering bopping him across the head for sounding somewhat insensitive.

Easily noticing her agitation, Naruto lightly smiled, "I was just teasing you," he explained. "You don't need to ask me for permission when you need something here, okay?"

Sakura grudgingly nodded, her hostility disappearing as quickly as it had appeared. In his own unorthodox manner, he had only been trying to state that she could make herself at home, and that she didn't have to pretend that the floor was made out of eggshells. "Sorry, I should have know better," she murmured apologetically. It wasn't quite how she'd wanted to phrase her explanation, but it was the only thing that came to mind.

Naruto waved his hand, dismissing the apology. "It's okay. Go on if you have too. I'm just going to sit here for another minute, and then I'll get up. Besides—" he paused—thinking that the easiest way to distract her would be to just rile her up. "You still need to tuck me in before you go," he grinned, knowing that that would shift her attention in an instant.

Her eyebrows lifted at that surprising request, the corners of her mouth curling slightly as she began to pivot in the direction of the bathroom. "I'll think about it," she said over her shoulder.

Naruto did a double take, surprised that she'd even taken the idea seriously as he watched her walk out of the living room and into the bathroom. Turning around, she issued him a quick smile before shutting the door.

When the door clicked shut, Naruto slowly swept his hands over his face and scalp pushing several, messy strands of blond hair up in a disorganized state. "This has definitely been one of the weirdest nights in my life," he muttered, the statement further punctuated by a long, ragged yawn that made his insides quiver with relief.

He was almost glad that this night was finally drawing to a close. The tea had perked him up in the beginning, but after that had worn its way through his system, exhaustion had started to win out again. That earlier excitement probably hadn't done him much good either.

Quickly assessing everything until now, Naruto again brought a hand over the spot where Sakura's lips had briefly left an impression on his skin. He'd almost started to wonder if there was any hidden meaning, besides nearly giving him a heart attack, but he quickly brought all of that to a quick halt, by now knowing that the only thing it would lead too was a dead end. At times, reality could really stink.

"_How 'bout working on your leg's already?_"

With a soft grunt, Naruto pushed himself off of the coffee table and carefully stood on his feet. Aside from a slight tingling due to a lack of circulation, his legs were easily able to support his weight again. Taking a few careful strides forward, the weird sensation in his calves began to subside with each new step taken.

"'Least I won't have to crawl to get to my bedroom," he muttered, a touch of dry humor creeping into his voice. The last thing he needed was Sakura planting boots against his back in an attempt to motivate him.

Yawning again, he began to make his way over to the kitchen, deciding that he couldn't keep himself awake any more. He'd wanted to wait until Sakura was done in the bathroom—but that little episode had sapped whatever energy he had left. Besides, he'd pretty well done everything he could to help her through this difficult time. What she did now, well, that was her own choice.

Turning the lights off in the kitchen, he began to walk down the hallway, briefly pausing at the bathroom door. Naruto reached forward and hesitantly rapped on the door three times. A second later, he received a reply.

"Yes, Naruto?" she asked, her voice partially muffled by the solid door.

He considered the idea of giving her some stupid speech to apologize for not being able to stay up, but decided that it wasn't really worth it now. Not at this hour. "I'm going to bed, Sakura-chan. Can't stay up anymore," he explained. With that said, Naruto began to trudge down the hallway, his head bowed in exhaustion, the satisfaction of knowing he'd finally be able to sleep spurring him on. He'd heard her say something muted but he was to far way to make any legible sense out of it. Whatever it was, he thought, it probably wasn't all that important anyways.

Reaching the end of the corridor, he turned and stepped into his darkened bedroom—deliberately leaving the hallway light on so that Sakura didn't trip over anything on her way out. Flicking on a small lamp that sat on his night table next to his clock, Naruto sighed blissfully as he half fell/half crawled into his bed; yanking the majority of his blanket over his tired body.

He was just getting comfortable when he heard the door to the bathroom open. The sound of soft, tenative footsteps made there way out and started to glide down the hallway, gradually becoming louder as she approached his bedroom.

Naruto lay there with his eyes closed, resisting the urge to sit up and greet her. It was a strange feeling, he thought, to be just lying there when he knew that Sakura was coming to see him, and not feel the least bit nervous. Maybe a little excited, but not enough to leap out of his bed about it either. Naruto knew that after tonight, things would go back to being the same as they were before. Might as well get used to that idea.

The gentle, knocking sound at the door grabbed his attention. Looking over to his right, he could see Sakura standing under the archway; the same, soft smile she'd left for him still lingering on her lips. Her stance indicating that she wanted to come in, but only if he allowed her too. Even though he'd told her earlier told her to make herself at home, she was also courteous enough too not infringe on Naruto's personal space, which was a nice gesture on her part.

"I'm not going to bite you," he promised.

He briefly caught the sight of her sticking her tongue at him, the invisible barrier gone as she walked up to his bed and stood over him. "I didn't want to wake you if you were already sleeping," she explained, her voice a touch sarcastic.

"I don't fall asleep that quickly," he retorted, mimicking her snide accent.

Sakura didn't bother to reply. Instead she reached down and began to arrange the blanket around him, covering up his upper body better then what he had it.

"W-what are you doing?" he asked out of minor curiosity.

She gave him a confused look, "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm tucking you in."

Naruto blushed. "Oh, I-uh…I never really meant that..." he stuttered unconvincingly.

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. Sure you didn't. You seem to be doing a lot of things you don't really mean lately," she countered while resuming her simple task of tweaking with his sheets.

Naruto didn't say or do anything, merely watching as she hovered over him silently. He was contemplating whether or not to ask how it could take so long to cover somebody up, but decided to just keep quiet. Besides, it was the thought that counted. And it was nice that she wasn't trying to be in a hurry. It almost seemed like she was purposely taking her time, though he didn't really understand why.

"There. How's that?" she asked, finally satisfied with her work.

Naruto nodded in satisfaction, "It's good, but you really didn't have to go to so much trouble for me; especially over something like this."

Sakura shrugged. "I'm a perfectionist, it has to look right. And besides…" her voice trailed off as she placed a hand on his covered shoulder. "You went to more then enough trouble for me."

"_You were worth it,_" he wanted to say, but could count on himself for it to sound right. Compliments from her were still an odd thing to take in—not that he minded them—but he just didn't know how to accept them without being flustered.

"No worries. I'm just glad to see you back normal," he replied, beaming up at her with a sleepy smile.

Sakura smiled back at him, infinitely thankful that she had someone who looked out for her as much as he did. She wished that she could honestly say that she loved Naruto, just like he claimed to love her. No, not claimed, but actually did love her. She could see it in his warm, blue eyes, but she didn't want to hurt him by saying something she couldn't possibly mean.

_Couldn't she?_

_"Would it be so wrong_," she thought, to say the same thing to Naruto without meaning it? Seeing him in such happiness, could that really be so wrong?

Sakura frowned to herself, knowing that it was stupid to even consider something so ridiculous. Naruto deserved someone who was willing to be open and honest with him in ever way. Someone who could love and cherish him as the wonderful person that he's proved himself to be—

"_And why am I even going on like this,_" she suddenly berated herself.

Looking down, she noticed Naruto starring up at her. Not scrutinizing or intense, but a soft, almost wistful looking gaze. Automatically, she'd thought of asking what the trouble was—if there was any, which there wasn't—but thought better of it. Instead, she looked into his eyes; a deep sea of primordial blue that seemed to call out to her like the voice of a beautiful mermaid. Vibrant life truly dwelled within those glistening waters.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" she finally asked, her voice much softer then she had intended it to be.

Naruto shut his eyes, reopening and then closing them again. "It's nothing, Sakura-chan," he answered, "I'm just—" he paused; very aware that this last window of opportunity was about to close itself, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. She had made it abundantly clear over the evening that she would continue to love and support Sasuke, and even though he didn't completely agree with it, he could also understand why it might have been for the best. People who were cold and considered heartless had a right to be loved just as much as the next person did, maybe even more so then the next person in order to show that the world we live in is not always a gloomy, hopeless cycle of pain. Iruka-sensei and his precious people had helped him to understand that, now he only hoped that Sakura would be able to do the same for Sasuke and make him realize that too.

"_Besides, she loves him, and I can't change that. I need to grow up, already._"

"Naruto? What was it you were about to say?" she asked, still patiently waiting for him to continue his explanation.

He shook his head. "I was going to say…that I'm glad that you showed up here tonight, and that your doing better," he softly replied, allowing that window of opportunity to finally close itself shut.

Sakura gave him a curious look but she didn't disagree. "I'm just glad you were willing to have me here," she lightly countered.

"Me too," Naruto murmured, eyes remaining closed.

Deciding that that was enough conversation, she gave his arm one last squeeze. "You get some sleep, Naruto. And I'll come and see you tomorrow morning, let you know how things go with Tsunade-sama. I'll also take you out for dinner, too. My treat for putting up with me," she added as an incentive, hoping that she would have enough money to cover him for the amounts of ramen he tended to go through.

To her mild surprise, he didn't get overly worked up over the prospect of a free dinner. Instead he merely registered the offer with a quiet 'okay' as he rolled over on to his left side, facing towards the window. "Be careful walking home, Sakura-chan. It smells like rain out there," he said, easily recognizing the scent that drifted in from the outside.

She nodded, noticing in the dim light, the uneven droplets of moisture that spotted against the glass pane. "_I wonder when that started,_" she wondered.

"See you tomorrow, Sakura-chan," he said, tugging the blanket over himself as he began to settle in for the long haul.

"See you tomorrow," the reply was automatic. Sakura wanted to say something more then just a simple farewell, but nothing sensible came to mind. She decided to just leave him be. Shutting off his night light, Sakura was just beginning to walk away when she realized that she was still wearing his robe. "Um…I'll just hang your bathrobe up in the bathroom. Is that all right?" she asked, waiting for his confirmation.

"Sure," he mumbled, already starting to doze off, the pressure in his neck receding as his head began to sink against the soft pillow. He barely even heard her leaving, light, well-trained footsteps that seemed to glide across the wooden floor like skates. Naruto had wanted to get a last look at her before she walked away, but he couldn't even muster the strength necessary to lift his head again.

Even with his senses muddled, he briefly felt her eyes against his back. Before curiosity even had a chance to rear it's head, Naruto was drawn into the darkness that had threatened to consume him earlier. He made no attempt to fight it this time, willingly allowing it to wash over his mind as it had done so prior to Sakura's arrival. The pressure of her gaze gone, Naruto managed to utter one last sentence before allowing the healing wave of sleep to usher him away into a black haven.

"Good-night…and good-bye, Sakura-chan."

**To be continued**… 

**Author Note:** After noticing that a few people were confused by the title, I decided to fix up the summary. I hope that straightened a couple things out, and if it didn't, then keep on reading. Please also excuse the late update. So much for getting the chapter out quicker, but I can't always find the time to write. Thank you also for the constructive criticism. I'll try to keep those ideas in mind.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or any characters related.

1:08 AM:

Picking up on the progressive shift in Naruto's breathing, Sakura silently wished him a rest-filled sleep before slipping out of the room and turning off the switch for the hallway light; the brightness emanating from the living room was more then enough for her to be able to see in.

Walking up the corridor, Sakura untied the sash and reluctantly began to withdraw her arms from the sleeves. Even with the few kimonos she had at home for events and special occasions, they didn't quite do justice in comparison to the homespun, tailored-like robe that seemed to create the image of brillent sunsets across her mind.

"Why don't you just steal the blasted thing if you like it so much?" she sarcastically chided in regards to her obvious favoritism directed towards the article of clothing she had been wearing since she'd first arrived here.

Succeding in untangling herself and stepping up to the bathroom, Sakura reached around the edge of the door and hung the robe along the hook that had been drilled into the back, double-checking to make sure that it wouldn't slip and plummet to the floor. She then proceeded to pat down any smudges and smooth out any wrinkles she might have left through wear and sitting on it. After all, she wouldn't have been impressed if she allowed somebody to wear something of hers just to have it mismanaged and dirty, and even though she was quite certain that she had been careful enough, it didn't hurt to give it a once over just to be sure.

After the quick but thorough inspection, she backed out into the hallway and closed the door so that it shut with a light click. Heading up towards the start of the corridor, Sakura was just about to round the bend at the junction of the living room and kitchen when a sudden noise caused her to slow down, eventually coming to a stop.

Cocking her head in the opposite direction, she immediately recognized the distinctive sound of Naruto's light snoring floating in from the other end. Under the full glow of the room, an apologetic frown was preparing to take shape across her face, but she managed to turn it into a awkward smile deciding that any further rationalizing about the late hour at this point was an overdrawn venture. If Naruto had wanted to stay up any further, he would have still been out here when she had finished up in the bathroom, and she probably would have boxed his ears off in an attempt to shoo him to bed. And even though she was still a touch confused that he hadn't really reacted all that much, she was sure her purse would take most of the damage in the end after she was done paying for his dinner.

Even after thinking it over, a free meal almost seemed like a seemingly small price to pay in exchange for what she had put Naruto through. He was nice like that: always willing to put his own health and well-being aside in order to help someone else out with their own problems. She'd had a partial idea of Naruto's generosity, but until tonight had never understood the depth of that characteristic. She already knew that Sasuke, in neither past nor present, would never have put up with any of her crybaby-like conduct.

"If anything, _you're_ the one who has the big heart," she murmured down the hallway, still unable to completely accept Naruto's earlier statement. Whether it was just through his point of view or else his own ridiculous perspective but whatever the reason was, she just couldn't bring herself to see it.

Either that or maybe deep down, she didn't want to.

Snorting, she quickly crossed the living area, moving past a tall, leafy plant that sprouted out from a gardening pot next to the end of the couch closest to the hallway, the leaves quivering from her fast pace as she stepped up to his fan and turned it off. The soft breeze diminishing, Sakura stepped over to the porch and began to slip her sandals on, ignoring the winds that shuddered against the door like some rampaging animal. She was already aware that it had started to rain at some point, but she wasn't quite sure just how much or how hard. The sound of moisture hammering against his roof gave a fair indication that it was more then just a simple shower. No, those winds had definitely blown something substantial in.

"Guess I'll find out," she said, doing a final adjustment on her right sandal. Once she was set, she placed her right hand over the light switch and reached for the door handle with the other. Slowly twisting the knob, Sakura took the extra precaution of bracing her foot against the bottom of the door so that it didn't happen to swing backwards and make a racket against the wall.

Shutting the light off and opening the door, she carefully edged her foot back allowing the gust to push against the wood, giving some room to wedge her shoulder against the smooth edge around the door. She took one glance…and then one long breath and let it out in a slow sigh of defeat. "So much for a simple shower," she muttered dryly into the night.

Dark clouds had settled themselves in over the entirety of the village. A prickly storm of rain and wind barraged the surrounding buildings and canopy-less walkway in front of her. The cold chill from the downpour made her curse the fact that she had walked out of her house without wearing something that would have at least protected her arms from the elements. Even as she stood there, hard droplets easily found their way in, splashing against her cheeks and forehead as well as her ankles and bare feet. "Going home is going to be _so_ much fun," Sakura muttered, but it was a ridiculous question and she knew it.

Right now, she had two options: Brave the storm and walk home, or else stay put where she was at. Going to Ino's was another possibility, but it was a choice that Sakura _really_ didn't feel like taking into consideration. As far as she was concerned, the weather had pretty well sealed her fate. Plus without a coat, the chances of catching a cold seemed quite likely. And really, it was an unnecessary risk to begin with. Not when she could stay where it was warm and dry. Naruto hadn't _exactly_ offered her the chance, but she was certain that he wouldn't mind if she spent the night. She'd already learnt her lesson from earlier with the bathroom scenario—and he would never let her live it down if she did come down with something.

Her face saturated, Sakura took a couple deep breaths, enjoying the crisp scent associated with rainstorms. After spending all that time in his house, the brisk air was a welcoming change of atmosphere. She was still chilled, but the gratification of knowing that she didn't have to walk out in that downpour after all warmed her spirit. As for her parents, she could simply explain that she had spent the night at a friend's house, not a big deal and it was _technically_ the truth. Besides, they wouldn't want her walking out in bad weather anymore then she did if it could be prevented. It just made sense to stay. Her inner voice, however, had a different opinion on the matter.

"**_Oh, please, enough with the stupid excuses, girl. Why don't you just go ahead and admit that you never wanted to leave in the first place, and that the rain makes for a concrete alibi to exploit the situation._**"

"Shut up," she muttered, instantly protesting the argument and feeling stupid for even trying to deny it. Trying to place any blame on Naruto for _keeping_ her from leaving sounded just as stupid to her now as it had been earlier. While the place wasn't exactly spacious or glamorous, it was quite cozy and blissfully quiet. Perhaps a little messy, but that just seemed like a natural reflection of his whirlwind personality. Plus she had to give him a few points for keeping a clean bathroom. Little things like that went a long way—

And speaking of messes, she suddenly noticed that she was making one right now. Even with the door partially open, a light film of water was starting to drench at her feet and the exposed porch area.

Rolling her eyes at her own stupidity, Sakura quickly shut the door. Flicking the power switch back on, she wiped the rain away from her face and looked down at the floor to see how much damage had been done. A closer look in the light revealed that the water hadn't splashed as badly as she thought it had. The floor would eventually dry, but she would feel better if she could find something to soak up the rainwater with now. In the kitchen, she had noticed the handle of a cleaning mop sitting in a bucket over in the corner on the opposite side of his sink. Kicking her sandals off, she sped across the living room and into the kitchen to retrieve the needed cleaning tools, not bothering to turn on any additional lights.

Hurrying back she moved his footwear out of the way and proceeded to clean up the soaked area, rinsing the mop over the bucket and redoing the floor until the majority of the water was gone. She then opened the door and flung the dirty water outside.

After re-shutting and locking up, Sakura returned to the kitchen and set the mop and pail back where she had found it. Trudging back into the living room, Sakura took the corner of the couch closest to her and sank against the cushion, streamlined leaves quivering from the shift in movement.

"Cleaning floors...at this hour, and here of all places. Who would have thought?" Sakura sighed, feeling a mite silly that she'd reacted so strongly about cleaning the area at that instant. It wasn't like anything was going to get wrecked or ruined if it wasn't done promptly. She just felt that it was her responsibility to fix the problem. She'd made the mess, and she would be the one to clean it up. Sakura just hoped that she hadn't awoken Naruto during the escapade.

"_Fat chance_," Sakura remarked, answering her own question. Even in the most hostile conditions, that dummy could sleep just as soundly as some lazy cat lounging around on a mat. Gallivanting around wasn't about to bring him charging down the hallway like some frenzied madman.

Taking some relief in that, Sakura pulled her feet up and turned to lounge out on the couch, casually crooking her arm so that her head rested against the inside of her wrist. Glancing up, Sakura made an oh-yuck face at the various brown stains that scattered along his ceiling. Naruto's caretaker obviously wasn't in the habit of keeping his building up to code. And if somebody even wanted to try his or her luck at repairing the roof, it seemed more then likely that the weakened support would probably just give way, a nasty surprise for the unfortunate person stupid enough to try and fix something that could only be considered a death trap.

Sakura chuckled as she rolled over on her left side propping her elbow up; the back of her fingertips bumping against the smooth edge of a branch extending from the base of the plant. The blunt image of someone's foot plunging through a soft section in the ceiling, notably Naruto's, caused her to choke back a sudden fit of hysteric laughter. His comical reaction would have been absolutely priceless, so long as he wasn't hurt in the process.

Taking a leaf between her fingertips, Sakura's eyes began to wander about the surroundings of his living room. On the walls across, there looked to be several bare spots where old paint had flaked and fallen off making her wonder when the place had last received a paint job. She noticed a battered, old television in the corner across near the window but didn't feel like turning it on. There wouldn't be anything on at this hour and she wasn't the kind of person who generally watched T.V. regardless.

The problem was that she didn't feel tired at all. That activity from earlier should have been enough to put her to sleep, yet she lay there feeling bright-eyed and alert. She placed the blame squarely on the sweet cake and tea she had partaken in.

"_It also might be because I've never slept here before._"

As comfortable as the couch was, it still didn't replace the familiarity of being in her own bed. There also wasn't a blanket or anything close by that she could use to cover herself up with and she hadn't noticed any spare quilts lying around either. The only other possibility she could think of was to again retrieve the bathrobe and use that as a crude comforter.

"**_There's also yet another choice,"_** inner Sakura slyly added into the equation, offering an alternative to her owner's plight.

It took Sakura a moment to realize what the persona was suggesting. Her cheeks flushed a light pink after finally making the connection. "Yeah, I'm sure he'd really appreciate that," she said sarcastically.

"**_I'm pretty sure he would too,_**" the voice calmly retorted.

Sakura swung her legs out from the couch and briskly walked over to the bathroom, doing her best to erase the comment from memory. Opening the door, she reached around and yanked the robe up off the hook, but her flare of agitatation at the suggestion caused Sakura to pull the door much harder then she had intended and ended up slamming it. To her, the crashing noise seemed to echo back and forth through the hallway like a massive thunderclap.

For a few tense seconds, she stood there nervously listening for any possible changes in his sleeping pattern. "Sakura, you idiot! Think you could make any more noise?" she hissed venomously. Usually she had a firm grip on her temper when the moment called for it, but this was one of those many times when she reacted strictly out of retaliation then logic. It was a bad habit that she knew still needed work, _a lot of work_ she thought sourly.

Finally registering the unbroken sound of his snoring, Sakura's shoulders began to relax. Noises were always louder to the person making them anyways.

Shutting the light off, Sakura weaved her through the living room towards the sofa, mumbling a colorful expletive after banging her foot against a wooden leg that would have made Kakashi blush. Stretching herself out, she pulled the long robe up around her body and ankles and began to make herself comfortable again. Closing her eyes, she hoped that the now darkened setting in addition to the tranquil sound of the falling rain, despite being in a different house, would make it easier for her to fall asleep. Even though she was in a state of relaxation, her mind continued to buzz with unrelenting activity.

Minutes went by as she continued to lay there in restlessness, her annoyance growing with each moment. It was almost as if something within was deliberately keeping her awake for a purpose. Sakura rolled over on to her other side so that her face was buried against the cushion. It wasn't exactly her preferred position to be sleeping on, but the change might have been what she needed to slip into a doze. The ticking of the clock above her seemed uncomfortably loud right now. After a couple more minutes and realizing that nothing was happening, Sakura finally rolled onto her back, glaring at the ceiling while smacking the back of her hand against the cushion in moderate irritation. Whether it was the fact of being in someone else's house, the damn clock, lack of a pillow or that persistent buzzing in her head. Whichever the reason was, something was preventing her from going to sleep.

Finally giving up, Sakura lifted her head from the armrest and sat up against the cushion with a blatant huff, the top of the couch bumping against the wall. Even with all the conditions in her favor, she had practically counted on something like this occurring.

She propped her still aching foot on the edge of the coffee table and crudely wrapped the back of the robe around herself, Sakura's eyes slowly adjusting to the murkiness of the apartment. The streetlamps outside were distant and unable to provide much if any additional lighting to chase away the lingering shadows, while the raindrops continued to spatter relentlessly against the windowsill.

"I wish that I could fall asleep as quickly as he does," she pouted tossing an envious glance in the direction of Naruto's room. She supposed that sleep depravation was a small price to pay for choosing not to get wet, as well as being a complete drama queen. Naruto must have surely thought so as well. That peculiar expression she had seen on his face after tucking him in must have been one of relief even though it didn't really explain why he had also looked so sad.

Even as she began to dwell on the memory, the consistent buzzing that had been torturing her brain like horrible background music finally ceased, almost as if she'd inadvertently avoided a question that hadn't been asked. Now after sitting there and thinking about it some more, the inquiry began to expand itself like air being pumped into a balloon.

Ever since she'd walked out of his bedroom there had been something small and intangible gnawing away at her like a bug. It was very similar to the multitude of emotions she had experienced after her meeting with him earlier. Feelings of sadness, gratitude, shock, fear and happiness had all mixed together to concoct a powerful brew of uncertainty within her but uncertainty of what?

Looking down at the substitution of a blanket, she easily remembered how upset she'd been with Naruto after he had told her to have his robe if something were ever to happen to him. The very idea of thinking he could try to appease her in such a way was a gross insult. A piece of clothing could never replace the mischievous antics she had grown accustomed to or that confident smile she would always see when ever an obstacle reared its head in an attempt to derail him in his quest to become the Hokage. How dare he even consider his life to be inconsequential?

Her eyes suddenly began to sting in response to a series of tragic scenarios that her suggestive mind suddenly projected for her. Several dire possibilities ranging from Naruto in a vegetative state of comatose to standing by his monumental stone in the heaping rain sent a bleak wave of anger and despair through her like corrosive acid. She knew that she was being completely irrational with herself right now, but if the unthinkable were ever to happen to him…

Snapping out of her daydream, she quickly stammered, "What—what the hell am I doing?" Immediately pressing a hand against her chest as the rapid sound of her heart thudded loudly in her ears. Shaking her head, Sakura felt immensely stupid for allowing her vivid imagination to run amok like that. She had either been sitting in the dark for far too long, or else she was starting to lose it. Right now as far as she was concerned: both seemed to make good explanations

Her breathing under control, Sakura sat up and ran a set of fingers over the front of her pink bangs, a long, tight exhalation escaped from her pursed lips, releasing most of the stress that had formed within her stomach, but not enough to erase the echo of fear that had inexplicably taken hold of her.

When she had first sought out to become a kunoichi, one of her most disturbing fears was the thought of someone she cared about being killed in the line of duty. She recalled the immense grief she had felt after seeing Sasuke laying on the ground with needles sticking out from his prone body during the mission in the wave country. If Sasuke had died that day, she probably couldn't have continued on her service as a ninja. It was probably why she had been so nitpicky after the his near death incident.

On the other hand, any concern that she had expressed for Naruto had been mostly kept in the back of her mind as an after thought. After all, his resilience and cocky demeanor had always pulled him through any minor scraps and injuries that he encountered. She had no reason to assume that that would ever change. And it was through that safeguard that she had no reason to assume that something could ever happen to that dummy. Death was just simply not a factor in his case.

But now that bubble of security was breached, and the realization of what could have happened that day suddenly left her shaken in a way she had never felt before. If she hadn't been simmering so long in her own stew of pretentious matters, then maybe she wouldn't be sitting here in the dark, continuously chastising herself for the past like a criminal.

"I should have said something more to him," she acknowledged aloud, the toll of leaving things unsaid once again weighing heavily on her mind. "And not just something trivial or out of being sorry for him or for myself, and something more practical then just a simple thank you."

"**_And why didn't you?_**" the inner voice coolly asked.

Sakura massaged her temples with both hands, a dozen reasons attacking her all at once. "I don't know," she muttered in exasperation, "maybe because it was always easy to brush him aside in the past and that old habits have a way of presenting themselves at inopportune times? Or maybe it's because I really am a rotten person after all who doesn't think of anyone but herself, or maybe I'd—"

"—**_'Accidentally' blurt out something you shouldn't have,_**" the persona finished for her, swiftly ending the tirade and nailing the bull's-eye, all at the same time.

Feeling disgusted, Sakura dropped her hands on her lap and sighed, the gesture practically a reflex now. Everything seemed to fall back to that crashing moment when Naruto had told her that he loved her, as well as the aftermath when he had rushed off to refill her glass. She didn't need women intuition to understand that an action like that practically screamed rejection. It was almost the same thing with that look she'd seen at his bedside. The feeling wasn't as strong but there had been something there that had put her on edge. That, or maybe she was making a big deal out of nothing. Sakura sighed again. She should have said something.

"**_Go talk to him then if it bothers you so much,_**" the persona offered simply.

Sakura instantly frowned at the absurd suggestion. "And what good would that do?" she demanded.

"**_A lot more good then just sitting here and brooding,_**" came the reply. "**_Instead of hiding from the truth and blaming yourself, you could go and take some initiative already. You can't sleep anyways and it'll do you more good in the long run_**"

Sakura was unconvinced. "I still don't see how that's going to help. And besides, he's sleeping. What happens if he wakes up?"

"**_Consider the luxury of the situation. You have a chance to say what you need to without having to worry about him jumping in like a rabbit. Granted it doesn't quite rub that yellow streak off of your back, but the opportunity is there, if you're willing to take it that is. And you already know he won't wake up,_**" the inner persona added to discredit the lame excuse.

Slanting her head against the couch, she pressed her hand over her eyes in a manner resembling that of a sane person reaching their limits on reality comprehension. She was already in agreement that this was one of the last places she had ever expected to be. That and a few other things she'd otherwise started to acknowledge and accept. No problems there.

Now, because of some unexpected, harbored fear that had shown itself like a hungry creature in the dark, she now wanted to go back in there for the sole purpose of speaking to him again…_in his sleep_?

Sakura chewed on her lower lip nervously. The idea while idiotic did hold a surprising sense of appeal to her. Considering what little she was accomplishing here, she didn't have much to lose…or to gain for that matter.

She still wasn't sure when she pulled her feet off from the table to the floor and slowly stood up. Deliberately leaving the robe on the couch and carefully stepping towards the corridor, Sakura made sure that he could hear his snoring before proceeding with incredibly slow footsteps. Combined with the unnecessary use of her chakra, even a deer would have been hard-pressed to hear her approaching.

Twice she stopped in the hallway, insecurity and trepidation at invading her friend's personal space nearly causing her to backpedal and on both times she forced herself to stop and remember why she was doing this. She carried on once her courage had renewed to a steady point.

"This is so stupid," Sakura grumbled.

Nearing the end of the hall, she tiptoed up to the corner and carefully peered inside. The large window on the opposite wall made the room a little less murky then the rest of the apartment. Aside from the rainwater skidding down the window it was the same as she had left it minutes ago. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark well enough so that she could navigate across his cluttered floor without tripping over anything.

"_Typical boy,_" she thought to herself, sliding aside a glittering kunai with the edge of her foot.

Finally closing the distance, Sakura stepped up to his bed and peered down at him. During his sleep he had rolled over on to his back. His comforter was partially strewn around him in a chaotic mess of tangles. His right arm was draped along his chest while the other was outstretched in the opposite direction. Naruto's shirt was hiked up enough so that she could see the circle of his belly button sticking out and the lower curve of his ribcage.

Shaking her head she reached down and tugged along the bottom of his shirt to cover up his exposed skin. His soft snoring didn't waver as she gently took hold of his arm and slipped it back to his side, moving slowly so that the physical contact wouldn't jar him into waking up. After covering him back up with his blanket she tentatively took a seat at the edge of his bed, her light build barely sunk against the springs of the firm mattress while she scowled (having caught the illumination of his digital clock sitting on his night table). She was just settling in when his snoring stopped

For a pair of heartbeats, Sakura thought he was going to sit up in confusion. Had the bedsprings squeaked too loudly? Her mind fought furiously for a plausible excuse, but then he took in another breath and continued to snore peacefully like clockwork.

Sakura wondered again for the umpteenth time what the hell she was doing by walking in here. Sitting here and watching someone sleep could practically be chalked up as being an invasion of privacy. It should almost be the other way around with her sleeping and him watching over her with barely subdued interest. She'd bopped him a couple times in the past for catching him in the act. _The irony_ she thought.

She bent over and whispered in her softest pitch of voice possible, "Naruto…can you hear me?" In her mind, the posed question still sounded much to loud. Her inner persona seemed to laugh.

"**_Couldn't even wait to find out if he was sleeping or not, could you?_**" the voice mocked in her ear.

Tossing aside her embarrassment, Sakura leaned back a touch and repeated the question again, a trifle louder this time, and in turn received the same snoring response. He was clearly out cold and looked as if he was going to stay that way. Only with that in mind did Sakura finally start to unwind, gradually releasing the breath she didn't know she had been holding.

That problem out of the way, the next was figuring out what exactly she wanted to say to say to him. It wasn't like he was going to correct her or anything but there was still a feeling of certain awkwardness involved. And besides the only person who could screw this up now, she knew, was her.

Seconds turned into minutes as she sat there watching his chest rise and fall with each new breath he took. She also noted that the room had a bit of a chill to it from the window being slightly ajar. She wished that she had remembered to bring the robe with her, but she wasn't about to go and retrieve it at this point either. Besides, it wasn't that bad anyways.

Her eyes softened at the sight of his sleeping face. Studying his facial features, Sakura couldn't help but notice just how peaceful he looked right now; the term 'carefree' seemed to be woven into his very cheek muscles. He looked completely devoid of any sadness.

"_I suppose he does look kind of cute, but only when he's sleeping and not making a huge racket_," she noted, willingly conceding the point.

"**_Face it girl, he's just plain cute!_**" her inner self added triumphantly.

Sakura reluctantly nodded. Technically he wasn't _that _bad-looking to begin with. She had never really stood up and taken any real notice, other then during the Chuunin exam in the forest of death when she had been forced to look him over. It had always been Sasuke who had received the special attention.

Blowing her bangs away from her eyes, Sakura leaned forward again. "If you knew how much pointless junk I've been putting myself through since I walked out of here, you wouldn't even begin to believe it. I guess it serves me right for sitting out there by myself, drowning in my thoughts about things which no sane person should ever do to themselves, especially me."

Ignoring the fact that she was babbling Sakura continued, "It's probably better that you're not awake to hear any of this. That doesn't make me any less of a coward; it's just that I'm not even sure what exactly _too _say." The sound of her own words caused her to shake her head in disbelief. After all of this time of calling him an idiot, she decided that maybe she was the one who fit that description in the end.

"_You can berate yourself later. Dammit, talk to him already!_" she growled silently.

Making sure to keep it quiet, Sakura hesitantly cleared her throat. "I don't know how this is going to go, so…I'm just going to start talking and whatever comes out, well, it comes out, okay?" she said, though the question was mostly to relieve her own racing apprehension.

"There were…a lot things I should have told you tonight that I didn't," she began to say. "I mean, I did tell you things, but not without bawling one moment and acting all weird in the next moment like a teeter-totter," she added with light sarcasm.

Continuing to snore, Naruto made no motion to indicate that he heard her.

Sakura took a reassuring breath before continuing, "I won't make any excuses for how I've been acting this week. Instead of being a drama queen, I should have been there for you instead of being the other way around. Ignoring you like that— it was wrong, and I'm sorry."

She slid up a little closer so that she was sitting next to him at waist level, her bright eyes once again taking in his tranquil, sleeping profile, gently brushing aside some loose hair that had fallen against his eyelids while he'd switched positions.

"I thought about what you said to me on the bridge and about what you posed in regards to Sasuke. In the past whenever that question came to mind, I would always try to deny it or tell myself that everything would eventually change for the best. I thought that way for a long time, but it wasn't until tonight when you asked me the same thing that I started to realize that I couldn't spin that lie, at least not anymore."

Sakura finished with the light gesture and pulled her hand back from the smooth skin of his forehead, letting it rest on the right side of his space, aware that this one-sided conversation was strikingly similar to what she had been saying to him up until the prank episode.

"You really cheered me up earlier," she told him. "I never realized just how lonely I was until you showed up. It wasn't just about what you said or did either, but it was about how natural the whole thing felt. And after you left, I wanted so badly to just run after you," she admitted, deliberately biting back the all-to-familiar ebb of guilt that threatened to overtake the forced softness of her voice "I knew that it was late, that you were tired and just wanted to sleep, but I didn't want it to end like that. I don't really understand why, but it just felt important that I come see you."

She suddenly shook her head, "No, that's not right either," she said, correcting her last statement. Her hand flexing against the mattress.

"I came over here tonight, because…because I _wanted _to be comforted to begin with," she confessed, weakly trying to make amends for her guilty conscience. "What you did on the bridge seemed so completely out of place, and at the same time, felt so utterly right. And the thing that has me feeling so reprehensible about it is that the person who I thought I knew so well and loathed so easily was only doing something that they would have done at any given time. You weren't putting on an act or anything. What you were being was just you to begin with."

"**_And that has you worried, doesn't it?_**"

Sakura tortured her lower lip with her teeth and looked down, having an instant understanding behind the jumble of words she had just blurted out to him. The question she had asked herself about Naruto being a security blanket had been nothing short of a joke to begin with. Naruto had probably been aware of that as well, but had had the polite sense not to criticize her for it. It had also been nothing more but a screen used to mask the insecure sense that she was feeling something for him that couldn't possibly be true. It would have explained why she was so willing to be close to him right now, and why she didn't feel any hostilities or barriers in response to Naruto's physical presence. He had always been wiling to be open with her, to allow her the comfort of being engulfed in his friendly presence—and instead of obliging him; she had always turned away from him in order to chase after a lingering shadow that refused to let her in.

She was starting to become aware of the shame that was beginning to grow all the more strongly within her. The closeness of sitting next to him like this only made the feeling all the more worse. She wished that Naruto had just slammed the door in her face to begin with, although letting her in might have been an even more effective punishment in the long run.

"I was wrong in a lot of ways for coming here," she explained, half to herself, as the truth of the matter itself began to slip out from the 'guise she'd thrown over herself like a veil. "Wrong in the sense that I knew you would let me in, that you would be sympathetic, and that you would listen to whatever I had to say, even though you probably didn't want to hear any of it or maybe you did. I don't know."

"_It's a good thing he is out cold. If what I'm saying doesn't make any sense to me, how the hell would he be able to make heads or tails with it,_" she wondered, her own irritation evident.

She was about to continue when she became aware of how cramped her fingers were becoming. Raising her hand, Sakura clenched and unclenched her hands, spreading apart her fingers so that the numbness began to drain out from her digits.

As the feeling began to return, Sakura noticed a patch of drool building at the left corner of his mouth. Unable to spot any tissue, she opted to just wipe away the spittle using the edge of her thumb, his lightly tanned face twitching in response to the featherlike touch of her skin against his.

"But what I do know is that I couldn't picture going through life without you being there," she continued with unwavering sincerity. "If something ever happened to you...well, I don't want to go through that thought process again. I did that enough already. I'm just sorry…that it took until tonight for that to actually sink into my thick head."

The dribble gone, Sakura lifted her thumb and creped her hand forward so that she softly cupped the left side of his whiskered cheek, the urge to touch him overpowering her sense of restraint.

"I almost want to call you an idiot for being willing to love somebody like me," she whispered, her slender fingertips motionless against his warm flesh. "But then again, you probably already knew how I was going to respond to that, but I can't think of anyone in their right frame of mind who wouldn't want to be loved by you."

Almost immediately, the visage of a shy Hinata came to mind. She probably would have fainted in response to hearing a confession like that. Her rain-colored eyes probably would have radiated both unbridled happiness and joy. If anything, she probably deserved to be sitting here, watching Naruto sleep while stroking his cheek with the blissful awareness of knowing that he was hers…

A immediate buildup of painful pressure started to close in around Sakura's heart, and she felt ashamed for the immense pouring of relief that the situation wasn't indeed reversed. That she was the one sitting by his bed and not Hinata. Sakura was also aware that she had no right to even feel jealous towards the shy girl whom always watched over Naruto with the probable knowledge of knowing that he had the power to accomplish great things in the future.

"_You know, you would make her very happy, that is if you only noticed her_," Sakura thought, flinging away the sudden jealousy that had enveloped her.

"**_The way you just started to notice him tonight?_**" her inner voice asked.

Sakura paused, a look of bitter sadness coming over her as her gaze traveled along the contours of his face. The uncertainty she had been feeling over the course of the evening was finally giving way to a sense of longing that she had never before experienced until now.

"It should never have come to this," Sakura sniffed, her saddness immediate as a familiar misting in her eyes blurred her sight, and distorting Naruto's image. "Sasuke-kun's leaving—It should never have gone that far…to show just how important you are to me."

And suddenly, as if it were always there, came an overpowering sense of admittance.

She had tried her hardest not to allow herself to fall for somebody she knew that she didn't deserve to have. It would have been like withdrawing a set of batteries out of a new device and placing them into something she had thrown into a corner and forgotten about. She didn't like what that said about her, nor did she enjoy what it said about her beliefs and feelings.

"**_And that's why you weren't able to answer him when he told you how he felt about you_**," the voice within concluded for the sake of her weary owner.

Sakura hung her head, feeling unable to do anything else. "He makes it...so easy," she muttered, her hand relinquishing its hold on his face to come to rest against her own. "I was in total despair, and he practically had his hand out and extended for me. Someone who wants nothing more then for me to be me. And to have taken that chance…would have made nothing but an absolute mockery out of who I am."

Fresh crystaline tears crept underneath her eyelids. "How would that have looked?" Sakura asked herself, torn between feelings of both past and present, an action that she was completely unaccustomed to. "To just pretend like I never wanted Sasuke-kun, or act like he was never in the picture to begin with—only because I spent some time with a person that, until tonight, never gave a damn about? How can something like that even remotely begin to work?"

Helpless in her own misery, Sakura turned so that she was facing the entrance of his bedroom, unwilling and unworthy even to look at Naruto right now, her face pressed into her small palms, fingers half-buried in her hair. She felt so very glad that he was so close and yet so far away from her right now, peacefully dreaming his dreams. Outside, the rain-lathered winds battered against the side of the house and the old window frame. Practically in sympathy with the inner turmoil that swirled within Sakura's own exhausted mind.

"I should never have come here," she mumbled into her hands, the repeated words coming out hollow and empty like a discarded shell. "I could have gotten over Sasuke-kun in given time. Everything would have improved if I had just…quit acting like a spoiled baby, and accepted the whole situation.

She pinched the bridge of her nose as if relieving herself of a mind splitting headache; "Maybe then, I wouldn't have had to see just…just what kind of a person that I…"

Feeling depleted and used up, Sakura pushed her feet against the floor and began to rise, not even bothering to finish her worthless attempt at self-analysis. Walking in here, as far as she was concerned, had been nothing but a stupid idea to begin with. Even with him sleeping, she couldn't see fit to just leave him alone. And all it had managed to do was make her even lower and more miserable and pathetic then she was already feeling. And for all of her loathing and regrets, she knew that she deserved every single bit of it.

Without a sound, she stood up from the bed and took a soft step forward, stretching her arms out in front of her. If she could call it accomplishing anything, it would have been that she'd managed to wear herself out from all of her subdued bantering. At least she could get a couple of hours in before morning broke.

Tilting her head fractionally so that she was looking at Naruto from the corner of her eye, she managed a tired, pained smile. "Naruto. I have no right to tell you whom you should and shouldn't love. It would be like telling somebody they don't deserve life. But, I wish that…"

Purposely letting the sentence hang in the air, she turned to face him. With the tip of her index finger, she reached down and traced along the spot of his cheek were she had kissed him earlier. "It makes me happy to know that you care that much—special even, but I wish that it wasn't me. For every right and purpose, it shouldn't be me."

From the edge of his mouth, her hesitant fingertip began to skim along the warm, velvet line of his bottom lip. Back then in the living room, she'd been almost tempted to smooch Naruto directly on the lips just to prove that she could be just as unpredictable and sneaky as he was—the only barrier being that it would have been a bit out of character for her to chiefly act on a impulse like that. But seeing his mouth parted in sleep, she absurdly began to wonder again what it would be like. She imagined the sensation would be similar to the taste of warm noodles. Heart beating with sudden anticipation, she began to drift down towards him, his mouth coming closer into view with each nervous advance she made.

"_I must really be loosing it._"

Lost or not, only a couple inches stood between the two of them. Naruto hadn't shifted or done anything to move away either. In heavy slumber, he would never even feel it. The situation almost similar to some of the fairy tales she had read from when she was a child. She vaguely remembered a foreign tale where a prince had come to the aid of a princess who had slipped into a coma from eating an apple. A Snow something? Either way, the prince had been madly in love with the girl and—

Sakura hesitated, pulled back, wishing that that particular story hadn't crossed her mind in that moment. The impulsiveness passed leaving her in the same boat of negativity she'd been in to begin with. Taking advantage of him, and in his sleep no less was unsuitable and would make her an even bigger coward then she already was. She had no wish to sink any lower then that.

Tilting her neck, she hovered over his hairline and opted to brush-kiss his forehead instead in a less intimate gesture, catching a faint scent of shampoo and conditioner. "Thank you…for loving a fool…and for everything you do," Sakura gratefully whispered.

The last word had just left her mouth when he began to moan in his sleep. Sakura immediately back peddled, almost bumping her hip against the night table. If she needed too, she could be out of there before he could recover his senses. The urgent demand to beat a hasty retreat began to peter itself out, his sleepy moaning starting to relax and lower. Aside from some involuntary movement in his right arm, he didn't wake up, nor showed any signs of being sick or anything harmful. It was just a casual shift in his sleep, nothing to worry about.

She sighed at the sense of Déjà vu lurking over her shoulders as she walked over to the exit. With all the trips she'd been making, she might as well have been sleeping on the bedroom floor.

"**_You're content to just leave it like this?_**" her inner persona quickly blurted out.

Sakura paused underneath the arch of the door, her arms folded as she leaned up against the edge. Her eyes closed in thought.

"_No…I'm not, but that's the way it has to be,_" Sakura retorted mentally.

Her inner persona seemed to chew on that for a minute. "**_I see, so basically, this is really just to tide you over until things get back to normal, but then when it all goes sour, you'll do this to yourself all over again? _**

Sakura didn't answer.

The monologue continued: "**_How long do you plan on torturing yourself like this?_**"

"_I… don't know,_" came her drawn out reply.

"**_Until your lie becomes the truth?_**"

Sakura frowned at that. Behind her, Naruto let out another soft-almost distressing moan.

"**_Everything you told him: about moving on and getting over Sasuke. Was that just to make him feel relieved, or you?_**"

She shook her head. "_No, I told him the truth. Everything that I said to him tonight was the truth. I never lied to him._"

"**_Except how you don't lo_**—"

Sakura cut the patronizing voice off. "_And then what would I do? Pretend like nothing happened? Turning around and doing a complete one-eighty would be like thinking of him as second place. He doesn't deserve to be thought of like that._"

She glanced over her shoulder. "The last thing he needs is someone like me who can't appreciate a good thing to begin with," she whispered softly, "And I'm _not_ willing to hurt him like that."

The persona seemed to snort. "**_So what you're saying is that you don't deserve to feel something for him?_**"

Ultimately weary, Sakura nodded.

"**_And that he should be happy with someone else, say, Hinata?_**"

She nodded again.

"**_That sounds fine, except there's one little detail involved here._**"

Sakura sighed. "_What_?_"_

"**_He didn't say that he loved Hinata, he said it to you._**"

Sakura grimaced. "_He likes everyone_."

"**_Not the point. Whether you like it or not, he told you how he feels about you, and deep down, you know that you feel something for him too. The difference is that he was up front about it and didn't dance around the subject. You, on the other hand, seem to be quite content lurking around his apartment and mulling about every little detail. Isn't that why you came in here to begin with, to tell him how you feel?_**" the persona demanded.

Sakura started to protest, "_But the past_—"

"**_Is the past…and one thing about the past is that you learn from your mistakes, accept them and keep going. If you don't, you'll just be miserable and bitter about what couldn't and what should have been._**"

Sakura looked down at the floor, picturing herself in a straitjacket right about now.

"**_The point is that if you do care for him, then tell him already. Not like this either, but when he's up and awake. If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for him._**

But how to say something like was the question. She remembered his concern about keeping certain things in when they should be expressed. Although he had made a good point, how was something suppose to be said when Naruto, himself, was the real issue. "_And what If something goes wrong?_"

"Uhhh."

She instantly turned around, fixing her gaze on Naruto. Another moan, and this time there was no mistaken the sound of torment behind the noise. He had started to shake in his sleep, his head and neck twisting from side to side as he looked to be struggling with something.

Sakura felt compelled to go over and break him out of whatever he was being plagued with right now, but the awkward mental debate she had just gone through had left her apprehensive and edgy. She was sure that he'd snap out of in due time. His earlier spells hadn't seemed significant and this would probably pass as well. Half-convinced, she started to turn—

"Noo…. cuh, come back…"

"_To hell with this._"

Sakura whirled around and sped over to his bed, stepping on some of his junk in the process. "To hell with this," she repeated aloud, concluding that whatever Naruto was dreaming of warranted an immediate exit.

The apprehension was broken as she quickly flicked his night-light back on and began to lightly shake his trembling shoulders. "Naruto? C'mon, wake up. You're having a bad dream," she urgently coaxed, trying to bring him out of his nightmare. Glistening sweat was already covering his furrowed brow.

In a panicky blur of motion, Naruto shot up into a sitting position, his eyes wide and fearful as he looked around in complete disorientation, not acknowledging Sakura's presence at all until he took notice of the cool, soothing touch of her hands against his arms.

"Suh…Sakura-chan?" he mumbled in confused gasps.

**To be continued…**

**Author Note: **First of all: I'm very sorry about the late update! Between house renovations, computer problems and quite a bit of other stuff going on, it's just been, overall, a very busy month. This was kind of an awkward chapter to write up as well. Also, I had enlisted the help of a beta reader in order to do some editing and general proof-reading instead of just self-editing, but she never got back to me about it after a week or was just busy in general, and I decided that was enough waiting. Thanks anyways. See you all in the next chapter.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or any characters related.

2:14 AM:

It was happening again…

_Stuck in a torrent of confusion and past memories, Naruto didn't register the powerful hand that clutched his collar and held him over the rippling water with the simplest of ease. No doubt to demonstrate, with frightening significance, the difference in skill and strength between him and the other boy. _

_Beginning to realize the urgency of the situation, Naruto looked down at Sasuke with an angry but determined expression. From the close vicinity, he could clearly make out the set of tomoe present in each cold, remorseless eye as well as the strange but familiar black markings that had spread and melded along his face and arms like tribal tattoos. The confident smirk that played along Sasuke's lips was more condescending then imitating. The look seemed to say: "__**It had never been in my interest to hurt the person I considered to be my best friend, but you refused to let it be. I made a vow that I would never bring myself down to the level of my brother and gain strength at the selfish cost of another person's life, but your personal feelings didn't allow me that luxury and now I am forced to recede from that promise. You, my friend, will now have to pay the absolute price for your stubbornness and inability to see things from my perspective**__." Around them, discharges of electrical energy hissed and crackled like the sound of a thousand birds wailing in union._

_With the deadly energy growing louder by the second, Naruto was just starting to make an effort in freeing himself from Sasuke's unnaturally strong grip in order to continue this fight, but his thoughts were inexorably lost in the multitude of past events that had twisted, shifted, and ultimately shaped them into the friendship that had persisted and lasted through all of their hardships. Naruto didn't understand—could __never__ understand why Sasuke was so willing to throw all of that away now. _

_Chidori continued to scream, and Naruto came to the dreading conclusion that nothing he said would allow him to escape what was about to happen. Swiftly remembering when he had been trapped in a corner or under a large amount of stress, the beast inside him had provided—rented out—an enormous rush of chakra to help overcome the situation. And having trained with Ero-sennin, he now had a better understanding on how to control some of that power, and right now, it was the only option he had left. _

_Naruto grudgingly began to dip into that second dormant well, hoping to find the power necessary to knock some sense into Sasuke and bring this pointless fight to a conclusion. He began to focus, directing his energy the same way he'd done in his battles with both Neji and Gaara during the exam. He had come out victorious then. Now would be no different. _

_His teeth set together in result to the amount of difficulty he was having. That stupid fox should have relinquished some of its strength by now, even earlier in fact. Surely it could understand the supreme peril they were in. He continued to concentrate—_

—_And much to Naruto's alarm, nothing was happening. He couldn't feel his chakra supply being reinforced or any strength pooling through his body. Frantically, he pushed even deeper, bitterly aware that everything now rested on the cunning nature of the creature inside of him, but to no avail. Something was terribly wrong…_

_Unaware of the plight that his friend was in, Sasuke arched his left hand back and viciously shoved it forward, triumphantly proclaiming, "This is the end, Naruto!" _

_Panicking, he moved to deflect Sasuke's wrist, but his reflexes were sluggish and dulled by the sudden turn of events. The screeching was almost deafening at this point—_

—_And an immense burst of pain erupted; Sasuke's violet-colored hand tore through his chest cavity, easily punching through cloth, flesh, muscle, bone, and lung tissue, exiting in the opposite order though Naruto's back. _

_In that chilling instant, time stood still. _

_The fluid pouring down his body, the gruesome awkwardness of having a foreign body part protruding out of his back, or the shattered dream of not being Hokage—none of that scared him. But it was the painful understanding of knowing that he couldn't complete the promise that he had made for Sakura. Bravado and brashness had clouded his judgment, he'd clearly underestimated the dangers involved, and now he was going to die because of it. _

_Sasuke's right hand had shifted over to his quivering throat and was now squeezing his larynx in an attempt to either choke the life out of him or break his neck, but both were pointless. With one lung ruptured and his body now settling into the early stages of shock, Naruto knew that he could not last much longer. There was a disturbing crunch—_

—_And Naruto abruptly found himself blankly staring up at a graying sky. Something thick and warm rose from his ruined esophagus into his mouth where it gathered, overfilled and seeped down his cheek, settling into the water around him, mixing and adding to the dark river that gushed freely from the ravaged hole in his body; a blanket of crimson staining and marking the spot in which he'd fought his desperate fight and was now facing a fast-approaching death…and the very end of his precious existence. _

_He supposed he would never know why the demonic inhabitant had chosen to betray him in this manner. It didn't make any sense. Its life was in just as much danger as his was in right now. Had something deliberately repressed it from aiding him, or was there something else involved that he didn't know about? With his life draining away, those questions really didn't matter anymore. Not now. Not ever._

_Naruto continued to lie there in a half- paralyzed state. His jumpsuit and hair sticky from the pooling blood loss, oblivious to the weeping rain that broke and rippled against the water's surface; disrupting and rearranging the aquatic mirror that witnessed and took in everything like a polished, vibrant eye. It reflected the clouds; the rock- carved statues, the trees, himself, and…Sasuke. _

_Sasuke stepped directly into Naruto's line of sight._

_Time resumed its natural course. _

_He stared up at Sasuke with a pain-filled look, his vision dimmed by the glitter of tears that filled his eyes and ran down the sides of his face. The markings receding, Naruto could make out a range of unfamiliar expressions and emotions in his friend's chiseled face. Where he had expected to see triumph, victory, or even a hint of boasting being expressed; Naruto instead caught the concoction of regret, pity, and an almost subtle look of real apology for what he'd done engraved in his stone-faced countenance. _

_With a mighty effort Naruto lifted his dripping right hand from his side and stretched it out towards Sasuke, attempting to call out his name. Aside from a rasping wheeze and a blood bubble popping on his lips, nothing intelligible came out. _

_Like that of a mime, Sasuke imitated the movement, extending his arm out—but not down towards him. Instead, his arm was stretched at an angle of ninety-degrees in the very direction of the village. It was as if he was reaching out for something…or else somebody was coming towards them. _

_Naruto strained to turn his head; to see whom he had his hand extended out to. Everyone that had gone on this mission was here with the sole purpose of the capture and retrieval of the renegade Uchiha. Anyone that came here now would only be to assist him or to try and help him. A shadow appeared over the water and Naruto could feel somebody else standing to his other side. He made another attempt to rotate—_

—_And a slender hand reached out across and accepted the presented palm, small fingers interlocking with Sasuke's. Naruto followed the hand towards an elbow, along the elbow to an upper arm, along a bare shoulder, towards a slender neck and sharp chin, and into…_

_A face covered by short strands of pink hair._

_Like bypassing a piece of junk, Sakura stepped around his waist and joined Sasuke at his side, paying no attention to the look of horror evident on Naruto's face. A rush of questions surged in his mind and he struggled to ask all of them, even one of them, but his tongue and voice box refused to react and cooperate. In the fight for breath, Naruto could make out a mysterious swirling in the pits of Sasuke's dark eyes, an eerie transformation taking place. Almost in contrast to the alien smile he was wearing. _

_Paying one last look down at his fallen ex-friend/comrade/adversary, Sasuke turned and began to guide Sakura off in the direction of Orochimaru's lair, hand-in-hand. _

_Starting to sink, Naruto continued to extend his arm out to the couple, mentally begging them to return. He thrashed—the environment seemed to be absorbing the pair, leaving him to suffer and drown in the solitude of the battlefield. _

"_Noo...cuh…come back," Naruto rasped, using the last deposit of strength he had to broadcast his request. As if disturbing the world itself with his poignant demand, a massive wave erupted from the tranquil water, sweeping over and consuming him like a hungry shark. The rush of water in his ears, Naruto fought with everything he had but soon felt the purpose emptying out of him along with everything else. His life draining away, Naruto gave up on the struggle for existence and began to relax in the churning, persuasive depths that continued to tug him away and under…_

"_Naruto?"_

_A celestial voice seemed to beckon from the core of liquid darkness, a female voice that somehow knew his name. He could only presume that whoever it was, it had come to take him away like he had tried to do to Sasuke. It would take him away unwillingly to a place of unknown…_

…_And it would never let him leave; it would never let him go…_

"_C'mon, wake up."_

…_Into the infinite depths of dissolution,_

_It would never stop hurting; it would never stop paining… _

"_You're having a—"_

…_Into oblivion,_

…_It could never end; it would never end—_

"—Bad dream."

And with a snap, Naruto instantly sat up in bed, his eyes wide and his racing heart thumping with self-induced panic. He fought to gain control over the rapid gasps that threatened to overtake him. His common sense continued to repeat, "_A dream, just a dream,_" in order to reinforce and exert the pragmatic fact that he was awake in his own bed, that'd he'd been dreaming and was now awake.

Light-headed and disoriented, Naruto was still trying to catch his breath when it finally dawned on him that someone was grasping him by the shoulders. He quickly looked over to find a pair of compassionate green eyes looking intently at him.

"Suh…Sakura-chan?" he mumbled, feeling more then a little confused by her presence. She should have been on her way home. Was the rain was really coming down out there, or had something else happened?

Her grip on his arms slacking, Sakura asked, "Are you all right?"

Moving to sit up straighter, Naruto shakily nodded twice in reply, wiping the dripping perspiration off of his feverish brow with the back of his arm. "Was…was I yelling or anything?" he asked, doing his best to act nonchalant even though he was still panting.

"Relax, Naruto," Sakura ordered, purposely sidestepping the inconsequential question. "Try and take some slow deep breaths," she instructed, taking a few inhalations herself as an example to help him synchronize and ease out his rampant breathing.

Her exhalations cool against his flushed face, Naruto gradually began to follow Sakura's advice, the violent hurricane of fear started to decrease along with the drum-loud beat of his quaking heart with each calming breath of air he took in and released. While he was occupied, Sakura began to give an explanation: "The rain was really coming down, harder then I had thought," she started, using his partial inattention to aid her. "I didn't want to wake my parents up, and there didn't seem to be much point in going out and getting wet either. And since you had made that big deal about making myself at home, I figured I'd just camp out on your couch for the night, but then I heard you in here and…" Sakura made a lifting gesture with her chin to indicate their present whereabouts.

Each word used seemed to make perfectly good sense to her. She'd covered all the essential gaps and aside from that last bit of sketchy information, everything in the alibi was essentially spot-on. There wasn't a real need for any further information then what was absolutely required to further explain herself. Short, simple, and to the point was all it needed to be.

As for the piece that she had deliberately skipped around; Sakura felt that it would be best if she kept every last trace of that disclosed banter under tight wraps. There were to many elements, to many complications that needed to be deduced and looked at from a competent mind—let alone that Naruto was just recovering from his troubling ordeal, and exhaustion was starting to inebriate her too. In short: neither of them were in the mental shape or capacity for any more unearthed surprises or additional revelations to be brought out in the open—and from the way Naruto kept eyeing the dripping window, Sakura was certain that he was thirsty enough to knock back whatever sweat he had left.

"Can I get you anything, Naruto?" she inquired. "Maybe something to drink?"

His lips and tongue parched, Naruto pulled his legs up and started to swing them out from underneath the thick blanket. "That's okay, Sakura-chan. I can get that," he replied, but either through intuition or Naruto's predictability, she had already anticipated that answer. Before he could plant his feet on the floor, Sakura quickly reached over and placed a restraining hand on his arm.

"Why don't you let me do some of the running around for a change?" Sakura said when Naruto turned to look up at her for an explanation. He searched but found no sarcasm, no hostility, or any hint of demand in the request, only a small, somewhat peculiar note of quiet protest.

She too was very aware that it was his apartment and Naruto had every single right to get his own drink if he chose. But he also deserved a break, and if she could do something so simple as to get him some water, then she would gladly do that.

Naruto acquiesced more easily then Sakura had expected. "Cups are in the cupboard furthest from the sink," he told her, the trademark grin letting her know that he wasn't going to press the subject any further.

Like light piercing dark, Sakura's smile broke through to match Naruto's. "I'll be right back then," she said, turning and hurrying away in case he tried to change his mind.

In this case she needn't have worried. Naruto maintained his composure and made no attempt to stop her. It was only after she had left when he turned to look outside again, allowing the superficial expression to melt away; his troubled blue eyes mesmerized by the beaded droplets that clung to the glass.

This had been the…third time…in the past few nights that he had been forced to endure this particularly nasty dream. Both had taken place in basically the same way with the only difference being that Sakura hadn't been present. It always ended just as frighteningly realistic with him being fatally wounded and Sasuke looming overhead. Aside from anything that really unnerved him, nightmares were definitely high up on the list with the biggest reason being that there was nothing to strike back against physically. It was exactly like watching a genjutsu illusion being played out while having your hands tied behind your back at the same time. Add to the fact that they always tended to install that clenching feeling of being helpless and that was usually all it took.

Most of the bad dreams that had haunted and plagued him during childhood were seemingly exorcised after the night Mizuki had divulged the taboo knowledge of the nine tailed fox's current origin which was suppose to have been kept hidden from him all this time. Although the sole intent had been to cripple and weaken him even further. It had instead brought to light the truth that it wasn't him that the villagers were afraid of, but the omnipotent beast, removing much of the psychological issues that had started to take root.

But now, with the emergence of these disturbingly new visions attacking with the point and precision of senbon medical needles, some of those walls that had previously been demolished were being erected once again. Not quite as high, maybe, but the foundation was undoubtedly there.

Rubbing some gummy traces of sleep from his eyes, Naruto took a now-calmer breath and released it in a long, quivery sigh. He'd had the privacy of solitude to help work through that tangle of post-emotions the last time. Walking around the apartment, a few cups of water, and some fresh air had eventually stripped away those layers of worry reasonably enough that he had been able to fall back asleep again.

But that unsettling memory of Sakura, or else someone that closely resembled her, walking away with Sasuke in his sub-conscious bothered him immensely. And what made it worse was that the person who'd had a part in plaguing him, ultimately, had been the one who had rescued him from that bleak episode in the end. He'd been grateful and mystified at the time, but now, having his bearings together…he simply felt troubled.

Slipping out from the covers, he slid his way across the bed and pushed himself up so that he stood next to the sturdy window. The cold glass was a soothing balm as Naruto pressed and dragged the back of his knuckle downward, marking and leaving behind a clear imprint where his hand trailed.

He _was _grateful. He wasn't going to dispute that. Having grown up most of his life alone, someone being there—besides the embarrassment—to comfort him was…well, kind of nice and not entirely unwelcome. He must have been very loud indeed if Sakura had heard him so clearly from the other room.

Naruto sighed again, this time disconsolately. All of the evening events just seemed to conflict and clash without any time to pause. He had never expected Sakura to show up here—had never planned or prepared for any of it. Living with the illusion that he could someday win her over through promises, talent, guts, and pure skill as a ninja—that had been easy.

In the last few hours, all of that had changed.

Sakura had said that she was going to move on. While it wasn't in his place to question any of her decisions, Naruto now wasn't so sure if he could really take those words at face value. It might have been some way to mask whatever pain she was still holding on to. He'd certainly done that enough times. Fake smiles had been a difficult but effective way to conceal his feelings. He'd always fought in not allowing the villagers to see how low and miserable he was.

Naruto shook his head at the treacherous insecurities that were trying to cloud his judgment. Sakura wouldn't have lied to him about how she was feeling. It wouldn't have benefited her and it made no sense in the end. And really, it was none of his business to begin with. What right did he have to question any beliefs, sentiments, or feelings that she had in regards to Sasuke for that matter?

Pressing his forehead against the glistening window, Naruto realized that this was something he couldn't really delve into right now. Sakura would be back any time now with his drink and he didn't really have it in him for another long conversation. It was awful but he secretly wished that it wasn't raining hard enough that Sakura had just put up with storm and gone home…

"Stop it. It's not her fault," Naruto uttered, infuriated that he would even begin to sink to that depth because of his own dilemma. "_Caring for somebody is never stupid, Sakura-chan._" His earlier words to her came back."_If it were, there'd be no point in defending what's important to us._" He wasn't the type of person who said something without believing in it.He had meant _every single word of it _and would _not _go back on that, nor allow himself to feel jealous.

His hairline becoming frigid and dotted with water, Naruto pushed away from the glass and fell back against the bed so that his feet dangled over the side. He wasn't going to think about it anymore tonight. It would take more then a bad dose of pretentious fears blown out of proportion to ever best him. He would also do what he could to ignore the dream. And if by tomorrow it still bothered him…then he would go talk to Iruka-sensei, and maybe even Kakashi-sensei if he was around. There personal experiences and added insight could probably shed some light on the whole thing more then he could. Maybe even Ero-sennin...

Naruto considered. He imagined that a man like Ero-sennin had certainly had his share of nightmares considering his crude nature and powerful lust for women. In his mind's eye, Naruto could also imagine that the hermit had probably had the crap beaten out of him by baa-chan more times then he probably wanted to recall. Maybe he'd flat out ask the man one of these times just to see what kind of a reaction he'd get—

He listened. Approaching footsteps quietly striding down the hallway gave indication that she was close. Feeling lethargic, Naruto turned to roll on his stomach just as Sakura appeared in the doorway, grasping a large porcelain cup in one hand. She took one look at him, opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it as if not to bother, paused, and then finally asked, "Feeling all right?"

Rolling and shifting into a sitting position along the bed front, Naruto grunted an affirmative. "Yeah. Just needed to get up and stretch my legs."

Sakura inclined her head while gliding forward. "Moving around and unwinding is always good for the system after an encounter like that," she commented, handing him the drink.

"Thank you, Sakura-chan," Naruto said, graciously accepting the cup and taking a long swallow of cold water; almost instantly feeling better. Both tongue and mouth were in firm agreement that nothing else at that moment could have possibly tasted more splendid or more delicious. Not even ramen.

Naruto nearly had the cup drained when he happened to glance up, noticing that Sakura was still standing there, gaze partially split between the window and him, an almost distant looking expression from his standpoint.

"Sakura-chan?" He asked. "Did you…want to sit down?"

She blinked, looked down at him, "Oh…sure," she muttered, almost stumbling with her reply. Smoothed out the bottom of her dress, she brought a knee up and sat down, not quite next to him but close enough so that he could have reached over and touched her.

Both in silence, Naruto stared into the pit of his near empty mug, as if the answer to some complicated question were to be found in the shallows; Sakura: the same way. Neither of them felt like opening up due to their inner discrepancies and the physical/mental fatigue settling in.

Finishing the last of his water, Naruto contemplated to himself: "_Her eyes look real red. I wonder if she was crying again or else just yawning a lot_?" not having noticed until now. Naruto pondered asking, then decided not to bother. For all he knew, she'd probably been sleeping when he'd been making that entire racket and woke her up.

As if they'd been on the same line of thinking Sakura probed, "Do you normally have a lot of nightmares, Naruto?"

Naruto quickly glanced at her. "Probably no more then any other person," he answered, trying to sound just as casual. "Why do you ask?"

Sakura shook her head at him for missing the intent of the question. "I meant…how have you been sleeping these last couple days."

He faltered a moment, unprepared to answer. Naruto hadn't needed for her to extrapolate on his behalf in order to understand what she'd been driving at from the get-go. "Other then tonight, good," he firmly lied, deciding that the less she knew, the overall better. And even if she didn't believe him, she couldn't exactly try to dispute it either. From the way she nodded, Sakura must have reached that point as well.

"Did you want to talk about it…?" she hesitantly asked, posing the question in a manner to show that nothing needed to be said if he wasn't willing.

Looking at Sakura now, Naruto had to fight with everything he had just to keep eye contact with her. She made it so very difficult to not want to confide in her this second. The way she smiled, the way her eyes shone—despite the puffiness, her genuine presence convincing him that whomever that person had been in his dream was only a poorly manifested clone, and that there could be no possible way that it was this girl who sat next to him. He felt as if he were caught in a wrenching tug of war that pulled and yarded on him in every which way.

He outlandishly wondered what she would have done if he had told her about the demon fox. Would she have berated him, attack him, fled, or merely shrug it off? He didn't know and even now Naruto retained enough sense to know that now was not the right for a confession of such importance.

"_And I won't tell her about the dream either,_" he mentally added. "Thanks, Sakura-chan, but really, I am feeling better," he proclaimed, pasting on an exaggerated smile for good measure. He was thankful that she was willing to help, but until he thought things out and reached some understanding, it was best if this was dealt with on his own.

Sakura nodded, leaning forward and coming to her feet. "Did you want some more water?" she asked, seeing his empty mug from her standpoint.

He shook his head, not wanting to overload his system or else he'd be making half a dozen trips to the bathroom. "You've done enough running. One glass was all I needed," he said as he pushed off of the bed and stood up, yawning loudly.

Sakura stuck a hand over her own mouth, unsuccessful in muffling her own yawn. "Stop that, Naruto. It's contagious."

Naruto chose not to reply. Instead he walked around her to the side of the bed he'd been sleeping on, pulling back the covers. Thinking that he was going to get back under the sheets again, Sakura went to take the mug from him so that she could drop it off in the kitchen on her trip back to the living room when he turned to face her again, mild anticipation radiating off of his blue eyes, Naruto's free hand still wrapped around the top of the covers.

Baffled, Sakura started to inquire, "What are—?"

"You said you wanted to spend the night here, because of the rain, right?" he clarified, managing to remember some of the fast explanation.

"Well…yes, if that was all right with you?" She replied, not quite sure where he was going with this.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Of course it is—unless you really feel the absolute need to go out there and get sick. That sounds kind of stupid, doesn't it, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura glowered at him but she deserved a smart-mouthed remark like that and he knew it. "Don't be such a wise ass!" she warned. This dummy, much to her dismay, was getting good at pushing her buttons in just the right way without the fear of backlash. That was definitely something that was going to need to be nipped in the bud, and fast.

Ignoring the threat, Naruto set the cup off to the side of the table and pulled the sheet back some more. Sakura's normally sharp mind was just beginning to pick up on the innuendo that he was trying to spell out for her when he said, "Here. You'll take the bed. I'll sleep on the couch," indicating the decision in a way that left little room for arguing.

But she was going to give it a try anyways, and given how stubborn she was becoming and irritated for not being able to figure out something so elementary showed just how worn down she was. "Now, wait just a second—!"

"It's late, Sakura-chan," Naruto cut her off, an unexpected film of iron underneath the civility in his voice. "It's late, and I don't want to argue with you about this. The bed is a _lot_ more comfortable then the couch is, and warmer. You'll sleep better here then you would out there."

Unwilling to give up the argument Sakura opened her mouth again, caught the narrowing warning look in Naruto's eye, closed it partially, tried again for half a second, and then gave up entirely, eyeing the mattress with a resigned look. It _did _look a lot more appealing then that sofa ever would. The way she was feeling, even a cold rock would have done the trick.

And why bother trying to be surprised about it anyways? From the minute she'd shaken him awake, the stirring, almost knowing assumption that Naruto would give up the bed had played around in her brain and was now coming to pass. And if that rare but unfamiliar tone and the way he had his jaw set was anything to go by, there wasn't a whole lot she could do to change his mind anyway.

Sakura yawned, on the verge of keeling over right there. "You're impossible, you know," she said, grinning sleepily.

Naruto snorted. "Look who's talking," he countered, gently taking her by the arm and steering her over in front of him. After getting her settled in, Naruto released the comforter and turned to walk out. He'd only taken a couple steps when he froze, his wrist abruptly seized.

Seeing the outer edge of his inquiring eyes, Sakura, in a sudden surly tone, said, "Whoa! Hold it! Just where the hell do you think you're going?"

"To the couch, or don't you remember?" he answered, feeling confused and somewhat irritable by this repeated argument. He went to pull his hand away, but she only held on tighter.

"Oh, I remember just fine. Enough to know that you're not sleeping out there," she replied flippantly, the far-more-recognizable note of hard steel punctuated in the response.

Naruto pursed his lips; biting back the temptation to remind Sakura that this was _his_ home and could sleep wherever he wanted, whether it be the floor; the couch, or even on the toilet for that matter. It was his choice to make, not hers. "Sakura-chan, I don't order you around or tell you what to do," he patiently reminded, "and I've already explained to you why _you're_ taking the bed and why _I'm_ taking the couch, so please, quit trying to argue with me, and just let go of my hand." Hoping she'd catch the drift, Naruto started to tug his hand out from hers, aware that if he really wanted; he could probably just wrench his hand free and overpower Sakura's grip, but he didn't want to strain and possibly hurt her arm.

His head facing the exit, Naruto's hand was still being restrained, not quite as tight as before, but enough that she still wasn't willing to release him. He was preparing to start forward again when Sakura called out to him again, softly this time.

"You're right," she admitted, immediately understanding why he was being so defensive and for missing the point she'd tried to make—not that she'd done a very good job in the explanation either. "I wasn't trying to order you around—okay, maybe I was, but not in the way you're thinking," she added, knowing that she was going to have to explain herself quickly, or else she was going to be dragged along. "What I meant was that I don't want you too sleep on the couch if you don't need to, that is. I don't want you to put yourself out like that for my sake."

"I really don't mind," he said.

Sakura sighed at his inexhaustible generosity. "But I do," she retorted. "You're still recuperating and need to be sleeping in the best conditions possible."

"I heal really quick," he quickly added, being straightforward in a roundabout sense.

Sakura shook her head, not disputing the claim nor buying it. Energetic and stamina aside, Naruto was still very much human and needed to recuperate just like the next person. "Naruto—"

"If me sleeping on the couch bothers you so much, Sakura-chan, then I'll just sleep on the floor," he interrupted, half-heartedly working to pry his hand free. "If you'll just let go and hand me the other pillow, I'll find someplace comfortable."

"I don't want you to sleep on the floor, either," she said firmly.

Growing exasperated Naruto blurted out, "Then where—!" when he paused, happened to notice that her other hand, her free hand, was patting against the bed-space next to where she sat. The notion that she was suggesting didn't even compute at first; still didn't compute even after putting it together and several seconds of contemplation and reasonable consideration. He was still trying to piece out something that sounded remotely polite when she held up her hand, not allowing him any chance to talk. Obviously, she had been closely watching for his reaction, possibly from lip or facial movement.

"Into the bed, Naruto," she requested, hiding her astonishment at how brusque that had sounded. She hadn't meant for it to be so straightforward.

Naruto, on the other hand, gaped at her like she had gone completely bonkers. The few particular instances that had occurred tonight, he'd been able to handle and digest due to certain conditions, but this…this just completely topped it all. He still wasn't sure if he'd—no, no, he'd heard her all right. And it didn't sound like some trick from earlier either. This, well, sounded legit, but still…

"That isn't proper, Sakura-chan," he easily explained, finally picking up his jaw from the floor and easing up on the contest to escape. "I…appreciate the gesture, but I'll be just fine on the couch."

She relaxed in return. "I know what you're trying to say," Sakura carefully replied, "but there's no reason why we both can't…share the bed," she bumbled before going on. "It's just enough for two people and I know that you, being a gentleman and all, wouldn't try anything funny to begin with," she added in a low-key attempt to draw him out of his anxiousness. But she could all ready tell it wasn't going to work, not from what she could gather out of that curious frown.

"Why?" he finally asked.

_That_ took her for a loop. Hadn't the whole thing been fairly self-explanatory? "Well, because…" she began to start again, but she locked eyes with his and the words died off on the tip of her cherry tongue.

"I know what you're going to say, but I mean 'why'," Naruto asked again, the frown—more baffled then irritated—furrowing a bit deeper. In his gut, he could feel that there was something else here, something vague, that she wasn't letting him in on. If she really wanted to smother him that badly in his sleep, she could just as easily make the short jaunt to the living room instead of being right next to her like that. He wished that he wasn't such a heavy sleeper most of the time; it didn't make a very good prerequisite for a shinobi. Nevertheless, he patiently waited for her response.

Sakura paused, lowered her head so that she was looking at Naruto's captured fingers. It was a peculiar experience, she realized, to have possession of his hand like this. And what was strange was that there was nothing in her that demanded or screamed in protest. Sakura didn't feel uncomfortable whatsoever and rather enjoyed the warmth of his skin.

She found herself recalling the conversation she'd had with Kakashi-sensei; recalled what she had conferred just as he'd been preparing to leave. Even with his reassurance, she had been able to tell that her sensei was worried, whether it was solely about Sasuke and Naruto's safety, their intense rivalry, or something else that she was otherwise unaware of. That wasn't vital, the words she needed were, and looking up at Naruto, she knew right then what to say.

"Because I trust you," Sakura said earnestly, sliding her hand up so that it encircled his wrist and gently pulled him, able to bring him a step in her direction. "And that's a solid rule of thumb between teammates and friends. They trust each other, right?"

Nodding his agreement, Naruto felt more-or-less taken back by those words. He'd always assumed that that characteristic had shakily existed, but he couldn't remember her _directly_ ever saying until just now. Merely another reason why he couldn't shake the fact that she was possibly just trying to manipulate him.

"I trust you too, Sakura-chan, but that doesn't give me the right to get in the same bed you're in," he tried to explain, immediately feeling stupid and embarrassed at how that had been worded. Averting his gaze, Naruto began to step away again, and once more, Sakura's unrelenting hand linked and trailed behind his like a strong piece of rope.

Naruto thought that he would just have to go ahead and physically yank his arm free as a last resort, even at the risk of injuring her—and there would definitely be hell to pay then. Why didn't she just let him go already so that he didn't have to feel any more miserable, or that desperate to get away? He should have just left when she'd been getting him the water, then he probably could have avoided this. How the hell was he to have known that this was going to happen? She was making this so difficult for him, but—

–But, after all, wasn't this his fault in the first place?

It was his problem for feeling this way, for the animosity of squandering foolish hopes and having them dashed. And she had been wrong in her examination to proclaim that he wasn't selfish, because he was. Probably more so then she was, and because of that, he'd done what he thought was probably the proper thing by stepping aside and, for the good of the present, and the good of his fast approaching training, the right thing. He could afford no distractions.

Now, after everything he'd slept and put himself through, Naruto found himself being unwillingly dragged _literally_ back into this whole predicament again and he could find no words necessary to escape from it. And if he had another blasted nightmare, and in front of her …

Not aware of his ongoing turmoil but running out of patience nonetheless. Sakura decided that she was going have to bring this to an end through a bit of trickery. It was dirty but she was wearing out her options, not to mention her arm muscles, with this debacle. "Naruto," Sakura casually asked. "You know that me being in your home makes me a guest. Isn't that right?" she confirmed, catching a nod from him in return, as if he had any other choice but to do otherwise. "And since this is _your_ home, that makes you the host, correct?" she added as if laying out plans for an infiltration operation.

Nodding guardedly, Naruto made no move to contradict the statement.

"On that basis, the primary role of a host-guest relationship is for the host to insure that the guest feels welcome, comfortable, and properly attended for." The familiar words that her mom used to drill into her when she was younger about proper etiquette seemed to come quite naturally from Sakura's own lips.

Sluggishly putting the tricky sentences together, Naruto grumbled, "And you're saying that I haven't done any of that?" frowning at the suspected feeling of being patronized.

Sakura giggled. "Of course you have, dummy. That's all you've been this entire time. That and above," she spoke soothingly, not quite meaning to ruffle feathers.

"If that's the case then, Sakura-chan," he said, starting to turn away, "there's nothing more to argue about. Now if you'll just release my hand, I'll let you get some sleep—"

"Do you have a spare blanket?" Sakura asked.

Naruto paused. The only one he was usually kept on the couch incase he needed it for missions that would have taken more then one day to complete. Right now it was in the process of being stitched up by his insistent landlady for the holes that she'd noticed were beginning to amount. He'd thought of buying a couple more in the past but it had never been much of a bother or a necessity. With the distinct suspicion that he was going to be backed up into a wall in the next minute or so, Naruto wished he had one now.

"It's being fixed up at the moment," he answered, "but I already explained that it wasn't a big deal. So just don't try and argue with me anymore." He eyed her solemnly. "Okay?"

Sakura held up her other hand in a sign of peace, "You'll get no argument from me, Naruto. Not a peep," she promised, "It's just that…" Sakura went on, laying out her trump card with care, "…you remember what I said: about how important it is to make a guest feel comfortable? Well…it would make _me_ feel more comfortable, and better, if you slept here—" quickly adding, "—and since you don't want me on the couch…"

Naruto gave her a strained look. So that was the real reason behind all those strange questions. Sakura couldn't appeal to him directly, so she'd turned around and nudged him to the point where he was almost obligated to comply with her request. Behind that intelligence lurked a devious side that he'd never before seen in her. Naruto had the unsettling impression that Sakura could be pretty slick when she wanted to be.

"Sakura-chan—"

"No," she cut him off, indignant now with his constant reiteration, "I tried to be nice about this, but I've just about had it with your arguing. I know that this is your home and that your being nice and all, but dammit, this has gone on too long," she growled portentously. "You're not making any sense and I refuse to debate the issue anymore."

"Sakura-chan—"

"I don't want to hear anymore excuses, either. It's late and I don't want to argue about this," she continued, using his earlier statements to aid in her rant. "I won't have any of it, and I don't care if you think I'm nagging or bitchy because—"

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto finally resorted to shouting.

"What!" Sakura shot back.

"…Slide…Slide over," he conceded in a quiet, sheepish voice.

"You…huh?" she was automatically preparing a counterstatement when her brain finished deciphering the comment.

"You're right," he admitted. "This is a pointless argument, and we're getting nowhere fast. You just—I didn't think you would have argued so strongly like this. You …surprised me."

She suddenly felt incredibly flustered. Having been busy in the scheme of lecturing and obtaining a victory, Sakura hadn't had a chance to feel embarrassment of any kind up until now. "I'm sorry for being rude like that," she quickly apologized, "and I also know how you could look at past situations and see how this would be a bit awkward."

"Only a _bit_, Sakura-chan?" Naruto protested with barely subdued sarcasm.

"Okay, fine. I would have beaten the tar out of you," Sakura admitted. "But like I said, I do trust you and I know that you would _never_ try anything that would persuade me to think otherwise, would you?" she asked sweetly.

Naruto stared up at the ceiling and sighed. How perverted or crazy did she think he was? Just because he came up with his own unique jutsu didn't mean that he purposely ran around, trying to peek under women's dresses and skirts. He didn't see the meaning of it. Naruto felt convinced that there were either too many guys like Ero-sennin who wasted their time with 'research' or else women overall thought alike and thought that every guy was a pervert in some shape or form. Geez.

"So, umm…Sakura-chan?" he hesitantly asked.

She looked up. "Yeah?"

Naruto was studying her hand quizzically, "Were you gonna let me go and move over anytime soon, or did you like holding my hand that much?"

In answer, Sakura quickly squeezed his fingers painfully before releasing him; satisfied at the yelp of protest she got from him. Sliding over far enough, Sakura watched as Naruto, taking more time and with natural reluctance, did the same.

His body completely under the blanket, Naruto turned and balanced precariously on the edge of the bed as to avoid any accidental physical contact while stacking both feet atop of each other to try and make himself as narrow as possible. A conundrum that Naruto never thought he'd ever have to deal with, and in his own bed, no less. Somehow managing to get comfortable under these unorthodox circumstances, Naruto—remembering his obligations as a host—shifted partially, soberly asked, "Do you have enough of the blanket or, umm…enough space 'cause I can move over some more…?"

There was a whisper of movement, the rustle of heavy cloth being lifted and altered as Sakura turned to peer at him. "No, I'm fine." After a moment of unsettled silence, she asked, "You?"

Naruto looked over the side of the bed, sighed inwardly. "I'm good over here, Sakura-chan, " then added, "but really, I can still just as easily sleep on the ground so that you can have the whole bed and—"

"Na-Ru-To…?" she warned, lacing enough tangible threat into each syllable to declare the matter effectively closed for further debate. Naruto, having heard _that_ distinct tone before, had enough smarts to know when it was time to stop and leave the argument alone. And it was useless anyways. They were both in the bed now, and it didn't make any sense to make a break for it while she was awake. Although he felt like teasing the idea; it would probably just illustrate the actuality that aside from personal morals there really was something wrong. He couldn't afford to give that impression now.

"_At least she's on the side furthest away,_" he thought with a grain of hope. It was sneaky but Naruto planned to wait until he was sure that Sakura was in a deep sleep. He would then creep off and sleep on the couch so as not to rouse her suspicions if he had another nightmare or something equally unpleasant. If she happened to ask, then he would merely say that he was going to the bathroom. Hopefully by the time he was supposed to be back, she'd be asleep. The excuse would also work just as well in the morning with the honest response that he hadn't wanted to wake her up, especially if she had any plans on leaving first thing in the morning.

"I usually sleep with the light off. Is that okay, or would you like it on?" Naruto asked in a low voice, arm reaching out for the switch.

Sakura yawned. "I was just about to ask you the same thing. Please, by all means, shut it off."

Complying and flicking the switch, Naruto prepared a second question: "Did you also want the alarm set as well?" The swishing of her head rubbing against the other pillow indicated that she was shaking her head to decline.

"I'll be fine. I'm generally a light sleeper."

Naruto bit his lip, shrugged inwardly. That piece of information, while useful, didn't do him much good. It also didn't matter either. He still had the excuse to fall back on. "Are you sure?" he persisted. "I don't mind."

Pulling her portion of the covers over her shoulders, Sakura took a long breath, withdrawing in a drowsy sigh. "I'm sure Naruto. Let's just get some sleep, okay?"

His supply of inquires exhausted; Naruto flopped his head against the pillow and tugged the blanket up to his neckline, hopefully doing an excellent job at creating the false appearance that he was preparing for sleep. He couldn't remember how long it took for her to drift off. Things like that had never been that important, and Naruto had usually been the first one asleep on those group outings.

Eyes wide open and concentrated solely on a part of the wall, Naruto was still having some trouble perceiving how things had led up to this. It was suppose to have been the average day: train, eat, rest, shower, and sleep. Simple. He had never pictured Sakura fitting into any of that. But now, here she was, lying next to him, under the oddest and yet most natural circumstances imaginable.

Was she? He snuck a glance to make sure. Yep. She was there all right. Her body hidden under the covers, the side of her head was pressed down against the pillow, the back of bright rumpled hair made Sakura instantly recognizable, even in the dimly lit room. Her soft, peaceful breathing made Naruto momentarily smile with relief. It was a positive change from everything else that had gone on. Naruto hoped that she would never have to experience such personal anguish ever again. Nobody deserved that.

Absolutely nobody…

"_Stop it,_" he silently demanded, hazy thoughts dissipating like patches of fog. Like every other disparaging notion, past and present, he knew what was going on, refused to let it consume and take shape. He was much stronger then that, more mature then what people thought of him.

Naruto realized that he was dozing. His eyelids were beginning to shut. With an effort, he forced them open, again concentrating on a random spot on the wall. On the opposite side, Naruto felt the bedspring lift and sink as Sakura rolled to a new position, a low girlish moan/sigh exiting her lips, corresponding to the change. Naruto also made no attempt to regain his share of the blanket that was inadvertently being pulled off his shoulder in her direction. The easier she could make it for him, the better.

That was another thing, too. Even with her words "_I trust you_" still echoing in his head, it still didn't make sense to why she had been so adamant with her demands. _That_ was indeed something he was truly at a loss of words for. Even warming up, this was still _Sakura_ for Kami's sake. The same Sakura who would beat the snot out of him each and every time he tried to hit her up for a date; the same Sakura who had rejected him left, right, and center; and the same Sakura who had blatantly told him she couldn't love him and…

"_**Face it, stupid: You're jealous**_" the voice lurking in his mind protested. "_**Right when you and the others were about to leave, and she showed up and pleaded her story—right then and there, you chose to step aside for his, hers, and your sake**_"

Trying to silence the words, Naruto slid another inch over to his side. Any closer and he'd definitely be taking a tumble on the floor.

"_**And then tonight, when you finally saw again. You began to feel that way all over, and that's what prompted you to say what you did on the bridge, and why you've been feeling so lousy this whole time. You say you won't feel jealousy, but deep down, that's what you've been all this time, no matter what you say or how you claim to feel, and that bothers you**_**"**

Naruto clenched his teeth, his jaw tightening with considerable strain. The difficult truth behind the monologue hit him harder then one of Baa-chan's finger flicks to the forehead. The response he'd given Sakura earlier in the kitchen had been said out of selfishness, hope, and everything else he had harbored since the first moment Naruto had laid eyes upon her. She had provided the perfect opportunity and he had seized like a thief in the night. He knew that he could have said something else, but he'd chosen to take a chance and risk his heart, and it had blown up in his face like a firecracker. Might that have been the subliminal message hidden in the dream?

Sakura adjusted, and he felt her take a bit more of the blanket for herself. Naruto knew that he could make his escape in just a bit. Just a little longer, a little more patience on his part, then he could slink away. It was for the best. She had to be up in the morning, but not him. By chance if it was still raining in the morning, he probably wouldn't be doing any training. His ninja attire was dirty and in need of washing. He might also do some housework but only if he had the ambition for it.

Naruto hoped he could leave shortly. He was growing so very comfortable, even in the limited space that he'd assigned himself, and his eyelids were growing so heavy now. Feeling as if he was going to nod off any second, Naruto began to slide one foot out of bed, the task nearly beyond any of his capabilities to perform now. He realized that he had to hurry, or else the tide of sleep would pull him away. He made another weak attempt at it, managed to slide most of his leg out, tried to sit up and slide out of bed at the same time—

And as if an invisible hand had shown up and nudged him on the chest, he gently fell back against the pillow, unable to carry out his plan. He was utterly drained; had been drained hours ago. The bleak, momentary respite had given him a small boost and provided some energy through the adrenaline rush. Not now, though.

The bed was like sticky webbing, and Sakura's warm body heat was only subduing and relaxing him even further. Lifting his legs and slipping them back under the blanket, Naruto pulled whatever he had left of the blanket across himself, his strained eyes looking blankly at the ceiling as he fought to stay awake, if just for a few seconds.

He didn't have the pedigree of an Uchiha. He'd known that for quite some time now. And as far as he knew, he didn't have access to any special bloodline limits nor did he belong to any elite clans that passed down any secret knowledge. He knew nothing about his origins, his parents, ancestors, or anything regarding the Uzumaki history. He knew nothing except that he was an orphan; an orphan who just happened to be the container of a particularly powerful demon. His life was a mass of secrets and distorted facts that he had no access, too. Not now, but one day, when the need to know the truth becomes too great. Somebody—or something—was going to answer every last one of his questions.

As for Sakura…

He wouldn't abuse whatever trust she had placed in him. Every enemy that attacked, every deadly weapon that flew, all the threats, all the harms—Naruto vowed to do everything in his power to defend her to the very end. He would do all of that out of sheer respect, friendship, and out of the most powerful and foolish of all emotions, unrequited love.

Rocks felt like they were hanging off the lashes on his drooping eyelids. Without another ounce of fight, Naruto shut his eyes for what would be the third and last time that night. Sleep overtaking him in seconds.

"One night. It's only for one night. Tomorrow, everything will be back to normal …" he found himself mumbling into the well-known velvet curtain that whisked him away once more into territories uncertain…

* * *

A breath of words brought Sakura out of her short doze. The warm, unacquainted clean smell of the comforter at shoulder level was enough evidence to prove that this wasn't her room or bed. Slowly and nonchalantly opening half an eye, she took a second to work through the light tangles of confusion that loosely gripped her mind; the recollection of events filled and bridged the memory gaps almost instantaneously. 

Determining that she had fallen asleep for a short time, Sakura rolled over and opened the other eye, squinted and then opened both, allowing time for her distorted sight to adapt to the murky darkness.

Perceiving shining locks of blonde hair and an accustomed face with the same detached expression, Sakura leisurely became alert, not at all startled or confused with Naruto's proximity. It _had_ been one of the first ever arguments where she had fought tooth-and-nail and had been forced into using the underhanded tactics of blackmail to gain the upper hand and force a compromise with him. Not a very nice thing to do, but certainly much nicer then him waking up with a nasty crick in the back.

Morning would be a different case, as far as advantages were concerned. Rain or not, she knew that the only possible way to cover any of her tracks was to enlist in the help of a certain blonde-haired girl who would do anything but make it easy to ask for any possible favors without something substantial in return. Sakura grimaced at the thought of trying to act cordial in front of that smug pig, and sneaking around the galore of questions that Ino would inevitably be spouting off. Being humble might prove to be a very difficult task indeed, but she would cross that imminent road when the time came.

Bending and resting on her elbow, Sakura regarded Naruto with an inquisitive look, being on guard for any signs of thrashing or anything that conveyed torment. From the look of things, Naruto appeared okay, and she fervently hoped that he would remain like that for the duration. She'd never seen Naruto so frightened, so unnerved. That was not a reaction she wanted to get used to seeing from him.

Oddly enough, his frantic state had helped to dissolve some of the exaggerated, childish anxieties riddling her stacked conscience. Everything from comforting, tending, and reassuring him that everything was okay, as Naruto had done, was a stepping stone up. Any trace of negativity or foolishness on her end was completely overweighed by the simple important fact that he was here: alive, healthy and safe.

It was something she would never take for granted ever again. She would never put a burden on Naruto's shoulders or anybody else's for that matter out of personal weakness or lack of strength on her part. She needed to learn how to use her strengths of chakra control and intelligence and mold them into something useful to help the people she cared for; Sakura only hoped she could convince Tsunade-sama of that as well, although she felt assured that the temperamental Hokage would see things in perfect hindsight.

"Enough of this," she muttered, turning and resting on the other arm. Today had been today and tomorrow would be tomorrow. For now she wanted to do nothing but get some sleep in the few short hours that she had. Best not to lose sight of that.

Realizing that she had taken most of the comforter, Sakura pushed some of it back his way. She didn't cover Naruto up but she made sure that it was easily accessible so that he wouldn't be fighting for a share. Sakura smiled tightly, having never pictured being in that scenario—

"_That isn't proper, Sakura-chan…_"

The smile turned into a sad frown as Sakura's mind replayed Naruto's words with precise clarity. She could tell that he hadn't been comfortable with the idea, and the tailored response she'd given to soothe his mind couldn't shadow the truth behind the point he'd thrown in to discourage her. Looking at it from his perspective, she could understand why he would feel such a way; could understand it very well. Hours of friendly behavior doesn't make up for months or even years of _unfriendly_ attention. And then there was that foolhardy attempt with the kiss…

Sakura touched her lips, still not sure just what the hell what she'd been thinking in that past tense; what had taken hold and possessed her to nearly do something which could have been described as unexplainable in every possible way. And what explanation, other then a knuckle sandwich, could she have spouted if that dummy _had_ caught her…?

She imagined herself saying: "I only wanted to do it because I was falling out from a plethoric, emotional mess of a tornado and because you just happened to be there in the aftermath like the savior that you are, I only wanted to do something to express my thanks and give away something so easy such as my first kiss. Oh, and by the way if you couldn't tell, I'm totally pathetic in every respect."

"**And crazy. Don't forget crazy.**"

As if in agreement with inner Sakura, Naruto groaned unconsciously in protest, altering and settling into another position with another murmur. He had all ready resumed snoring by the time she resumed monitoring his vocal patterns. Assured by the continuance of his unbroken sleep, Sakura was starting to snuggle under the blanket when she happened to look over the side of the bed, a floor space of about a meter separating the bed and the window/wall. She glanced at Naruto, recalled the argument, wondered again if she should just slip out, and go to the other room. If she could physically grasp his arm without missing a beat, then walking out here wouldn't be a problem—

"Now who's being immature?" she grumbled, voice muffled by the pillow. There had already been too many instances where she'd shown more fervour then logic. She was here, now, in a bed, comfortable too. Why try and be illogical now, especially at the minor risk of another argument looming overhead? She didn't have that kind of strength in her. Not to mention that this walking back and forth was getting old.

With the last of the tension floating away, Sakura finally started to relax without the worry of guilt hanging over her head. Naruto made another groaning sound but Sakura's fuzzy mind paid it no attention. He was fine, snoring contently and sleeping like a baby, and that was all that mattered right now. Now it was time for her to do the same. Eyes shutting, Sakura quickly drifted off again …

…And then she found herself sitting up in uncomprehending confusion, eyes snapping open, sure that she hadn't slept for more then a minute. She realized that the bed was shaking, assumed that the bed was breaking apart or the village was being disturbed by a powerful earthquake before mind had a chance to step in and quell her imagination, pointing out that it was nothing that farfetched. Nevertheless, there was something deeply wrong. Collecting herself she turned to her right—and found out, from first glance, what the problem was, or rather who was causing it.

It wasn't as violent as the first time but from the way he was writhing and moaning incoherently, Sakura could clearly see that Naruto was having another nightmare. It might have been in the earlier stages—she couldn't tell—but it probably wasn't going to get any better. Not from what she had learned the first time anyway.

"_Oh, Naruto. You're not okay at all..._"

Shaking off the last of the sleep, Sakura began to reach across for a shoulder, fingers already curling to grasp him. She was just about to wake him up again when she paused, her hand hovering just over the upper sleeve of his shirt, remembering:

It wouldn't do any good, she considered. She probably should have taken a calmer approach the first time instead of trying so hard to bring him back to wakefulness. Being nervous also didn't really help things. And if she did wake him, there was a strong possibility that Naruto could have been resentful out of embarrassment. It was probably why he'd wanted to leave for the living room so badly. So that she didn't see him in such a way. Naruto might be aggravated to such a point that he would get hostile, and there wouldn't be a thing she could say to remedy the situation.

Biting her upper lip, Sakura felt powerless, having been cornered in a tender situation like this. She wanted to try and help, but not if it meant him being upset with her. From the looks of things, Naruto was getting worse. She couldn't just ignore him. Not now.

Sakura took a breath, lowering the tips of her fingers on his arm, whispered softly, "Shh, Naruto. Calm down. Please, you need to calm down now." She kept her voice marginally light like she had when she'd talked to him earlier, keeping physical touch to an absolute minimum. This needed to be done in a way that would keep him docile without jarring him back into full awareness.

She wasn't making much progress; Sakura could tell that much. Even with his back currently turned to her, she could hear his desperation, see his body quivering and shaking. It wasn't right to see him like this.

"Shh, shh," she continued. "It's not real. Whatever it is. It's just a bad dream, Naruto. Shh…"

His moans subsided, and for a pair of heartbeats, Sakura thought that it was over. Naruto suddenly twisted away from her fingers and faced her. Sakura shrank back, again paranoid that she might have awaked him—but no, he was still fighting in his sleep, his body continuing to tremble. Sakura was about to try again when she caught sight of something shocking, causing her to stop altogether.

Drops of slow, bitter moisture were streaming down his eyes, along his cheeks, whisker lines and down by his neck area. Seeing him like this was somehow…worse then anything she could have imagined. Sakura was both confused and upset at the thing, this thing that could somehow reach inside, grab hold, and break Naruto like this. This wasn't right, not right at all. Nothing, or nobody should be able to do this to someone like him. Not even…

She knew what she was about to think, pushed it aside along with her anger. Resting her fingertips along his arm again, Sakura resisted the desperation to shake him. "Naruto," she croaked. "You have to relax. Crying like this doesn't look good on you. D-don't make me crack you one on the head, you dummy. You need to…" She felt her voice breaking at the realization—and frustration—that there was nothing more that she could do for him.

"No, I won't just stand by and watch this happen. There has to be something—anything—that I can do." Her mind racing, she tried to remember what her mother had done for her during childhood at times when she had a hard time trying to sleep. Aside from light strokes of the hair or a few calming phrases, nothing much came to mind. Sakura remembered with embarrassment the times when she would ask her mom to sing a lullaby, especially when she could tell she was in a good mood—

And the memory clicked. A lullaby…

It might work, she determined with moderate disconcert, and although she felt ready to try anything about now, it did nothing to lessen the reddening that colored her cheeks. She had done a little bit of singing as a kid, mostly humming. She had never really sung for a boy directly, but then again, she'd never been in another bed with a boy, either…

"Act mature," she chidded.

Inching her way over so that she lay next to him, Sakura cradled and rested on the curve of her elbow, said, "I don't know whether or not I can take away the pain that's bothering you, and you're not leaving me with much choice here." She took the edge of her right thumb and faintly brushed aside the warm drops that wouldn't cease from the corners of his trembling eyes, her hand still resting on the shoulder attached to the body that refused to stop its terrible shaking. "But...I'm going to try, so you just bear with me, okay? This time...let me be the one to rescue you."

Searching for something that might work, Sakura remembered lines to a song that her mom used to croon and seemed to enjoy quite a bit. She'd never caught the name of it—having forgotten about it until now—but seemed convinced that it might just work. Distinguishing and organizing the words with much hesitance, she gathered what little vocal skill she had, plowed forward and began to sing:

"When you're weary…and feeling small," she started off slowly. "When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them off," the pitch sung low and sweet with each word. "I'm on your side…when times get rough…and friends just can't be found, like a bridge over troubled water. I will lay me down."

Sakura stopped; struck by how smoothly the poetic lyrics came to mind and transferred, even though she knew her voice was a bit of a stretch right now. He was still twitching but not quite as hard. Undaunted and rapidly gaining confidence, she continued:

"Shh. When you're down and out…when you're on the street. When evening falls…so hard, I will…comfort you." Sakura choked on the last two words, a terrible ache gripping her. She could see the imagery behind the irony of the words, could picture looking behind Naruto's eyes and seeing herself as he'd seen her. To invigorate and give so much to somebody who couldn't return a single thing should be declared a complete injustice. Only it wasn't something so rash as injustice, merely that of friendship.

_Friendship_…

Lowering her head against the mattress, Sakura—noticing that Naruto was starting to calm down—kept going: "I'll take your part…when darkness comes. And the pain is all around, like a bridge over troubled water, I will lay me down."

Naruto finally began to respond and succumb to the gentle words, the shaking subsiding with each passing second. Sakura was also starting to fall asleep again. She was doing just as good as a job relaxing herself along with him. At least they were both getting something out of all of this.

"Sail on silver boy," she went on, growing drowsy with each word. "Sail on by. Your time has come…to shine; all your dreams are on the way. See…how they shine…and if you need a friend. I'm sailing right behind…like a bridge over troubled water, I will…ease your mind…"

Sakura let the words stream to a close. She couldn't remember anymore of the song, didn't have to from the sound of things. Naruto was snoring as if nothing had happened to begin with and that was good enough for her.

Pulling the comforter so that it draped over both of them, Sakura bent over him, lightly pecked Naruto on his spotted hairline again. "Sleep peacefully, Naruto," she whispered. "You'll feel better tomorrow." Closing her eyes once more, she followed her own advice and began to let herself sink under, feeling Naruto's warm breath fluttering hair against her face, tickling her nose.

That had gone well. Much more then what she'd hoped for. It would probably have worked just as well earlier if she'd had the inspiration. Things had a way of working out better the second time around…

It was uncanny—not uncanny. It wasn't even that anymore. She hadn't been buried under twenty feet of snow and Naruto had just happened to be buried there also. She'd been standing by the stream and he just happened to be walking by there on his way home. It was only pure chance, nothing that could lead to something so unlikely as destiny. All she remembered—what she knew, truly known—was that at nine o'clock going outside, Naruto had been the most distant—the last person existing on her mind.

Selfishness. That had been the central focus, the main reason behind all of this. It was why she was here now. It was why Naruto was forced to stay up. It was why she had remained. It was why she had snuck to his room, and in conclusion, was why she was here now. If she wasn't chastising over greed, then she was doing it out of guilt, and on and on the cycle went. Even in these sincere, warm moments, those sentiments wouldn't stop hounding her. She didn't want to feel deprecatory anymore. She didn't want to be reminded of her past resentment towards Naruto. All she wanted was a chance, an opportunity to rectify some of her mistakes. For the little she did, she could at least do that.

Sakura slid further under the blanket, deciding that she'd thought this over enough. Chirping birds reminded her that morning was only hours away, and she wasn't in the shape to do anything now. She would have tomorrow afternoon to catch up on her rest. But right now she had to sleep, needed to sleep. Her body melted against the bed and even knowing how absolutely awful she would look, Sakura, for the first time in several days, looked forward to what tomorrow would bring.

"By then," she uttered, "I'll have things sorted out. And I'll…I'll..."

The falling rain and Naruto's snoring followed her into peaceful darkness and neither one spoke no more.

**To be continued…**

**Author Note: **This exceptionally lengthy chapter officially concludes the evening portion of the story. I was going to split this into two parts at first because of the length but eventually decided not to bother. Who'd have thought it would take six chapters just to piece out one night? (Takes a long sigh) I sure didn't…

Anyway, this chapter should never have taken this long to post. It was actually completed a while ago but some bugs needed to be worked out, and…well, that's just the way things go and I apologize, yet again, for the lateness. Work has also been keeping me very busy and will likely do so for the next while, so the updates for the story will probably be quite slow. I know that they weren't fast to begin with but I feel that I owe some kind of an explanation for you guys. And before anyone begins to panic, the answer is no. I'm not going to cease or flat out abandon this story. I've really enjoyed writing this so far and have put too much time and effort for that to happen, so no worries there. Also, I went back and finally cleaned up and edited a bunch of lingering bugs and writing errors on the other chapters that were bugging me. None of the paragraphs were drastically changed, only touched up, and the storyline wasn't tweaked either.

I also feel that the 'lullaby' that Sakura sings for Naruto in this chapter merits a little bit of an explanation. At first, I was hesitant on whether or not to add that in because I wasn't one hundred percent sure if it would actually work. It was probably one of the more questionable decisions and it was kind of selfish—if that makes any sense—on my part. But after doing some researching, I think the inspiration behind the purpose kind of won the battle and I chose to keep it in the end. Overall, I think it came out fairly well, but then again, I'm my own worst critic.

Anyway, hopefully that answered a few questions regarding story status. And in case anybody was wondering, the lyrics used were borrowed from the song 'Bridge over Troubled Water' and composed by the legendary team of Simon and Garfunkel. Catch you guys later.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or any characters related.

5:36 AM:

"Are you about done in there?"

Having just finished taking a quick shower and dressing in fresh, accustomed clothes; Yamanaka Ino took a moment to scowl at the locked door, or rather the person who was knocking. "I'm almost done, Okaa-san! Just give me another minute," Ino hollered over the hum of the fan. She hadn't gone more then twenty minutes into the day and she was already despising the outcome. Even a naughty daydream involving Sasuke wearing nothing more then a towel wrapped around his waist—and even that had been skimpy—wasn't enough to console her from the inevitable headache.

A shipment of fresh stock, which was supposed to have arrived yesterday afternoon, was being delivered today instead. Certainly not the first time it's ever happened, but it would have been nice if more notice had been given instead of an abrupt message saying that the delivery would be arriving in forty-some odd minutes _this _morning. Father's composure had been calm and unshaken, old training routines taking charge. The same couldn't be said for her mother, who'd been panicking and rushing about to get things ready for the arrival. The store didn't open until nine for gosh sakes!

Rubbing condensation off the mirror Ino wrapped a towel around her wet hair, wishing that she were six years younger. She might have had a chance to duck out of her duties, but that was doubtful. Even then, she had always prided herself in her knowledge and ability to arrange and sort flowers in majestic display. That confidence and self-assurance had given her the drive to emerge as one of the higher-ranked kunoichi in her graduating class. Being the daughter of a family-owned business certainly balanced its share of highs and lows like anything else. Unfortunately, her _ikebana_ talent was of little use in the midst of the battlefield and with what little missions she'd been involved in lately because of Shikamaru and Chouji's recent injuries, more time had been spent working in the flower shop instead of her ninja training. Not that she was out of practice. Not by a long shot—and she had picked up on a handy variation to her mind control technique.

There was another series of knocks on the door, followed by an impatient, "Ino?"

"Just another minute! I—oh for…" Throwing up her hands in a gesture of defeat, Ino grabbed a wide brush, reached for the knob, pulled the door open, and, almost bumping into her mother in the process, hustled down the hall.

"Well it's about time, young lady. Other people live in this house, too," the older woman commented, annoyed at this sudden, not entirely surprising, display of rudeness shown from her fiery daughter. She was clearly not in the mood for this sort of teenage brazenness.

Ino spun on her heel, one loose end of the towel coming loose. "We have _two_ bathrooms," she pointed out vehemently, holding up two fingers to accentuate the fact. "Why didn't you just use the other one if you couldn't wait?"

Her mother snorted gently. "Because your father is using that right now, and your definition of a _minute_ usually ends up ranging from five to ten," she countered frostily.

Ino glared at her in annoyance, and the older women returned the gaze, raising an eyebrow almost in a challenging notion to try and prove her wrong. Relevance aside, Ino continued to spur the stubborn urge to try and win the meaningless squabble, possibly out of how sulky she was feeling for being up this early—and felt the traces of underlying tension drain away. Along with setting up the stock and getting the flowers arranged for buyers, she had already been designated to be on shop duty from the morning to the early part of the afternoon. Dealing with a grumpy mother on the side wasn't going to help matters any.

"Fine. Go ahead. I'm pretty much done in there anyways," Ino grudgingly conceded. "I can finish up in my bedroom." She whirled, hurried the short distance to her room, and closed the door before her mother could venture a question to the change in her manner. Flicking on the light, unraveling the towel and wrapping it loosely around her neck, the ends hanging off her collarbone and shoulders, Ino stepped over and pulled out a portable brown stool tucked underneath a desk/mirror combo that contained make-up and a small assortment of cosmetics. Pulling the seat apart, Ino hastily wrung out the dampness from her thick silky hair, then began brushing out the tangles. Each string seemed to be spun from the mellow radiance of a winter-sun.

She hadn't gone more then four strokes when she paused abruptly, titled her head, sniffed the air experimentally and wrinkled her nose at how stuffy the bedroom had become. Padding over the hardwood floor and onto a plush wool rug, Ino pulled the drapes back and opened the chest-high window three quarters of the way up, then lowered it so that it wedged and locked just above the halfway mark. Cool wet air circulated, taking away some of the permeating mustiness.

At the firm, steady plummet of rain tapping against the ground and seeping into the soil, splashing and adding to the already-heaping brown puddles on the street in the front of the house—A mask of content filled Ino's face, overlaying the thin annoyance she'd felt a subtle moment ago. Why adults allowed themselves to get so worked up over absolutely nothing was something she'd never understand, or didn't care to understand for that matter. And anyone that wanted fresh lilies or tulips on this gloomy morning was either going to have to come up with a boat or else pack some diving gear along.

At this rate she might have had to come up with something along those same lines. She had already made plans to visit with Chouji, who was still recuperating in the hospital from the dangerous after-effects of using the special Akimichi clan pills, to find out if he was still being released that afternoon or the next day. Her and the rest of the team had been planning on throwing a party of good health in acknowledgement to Chouji's recent heroics. Asuma-sensei, and Shikamaru, especially, had been insistent that something special be done and thus were giving him one of the best and absolute worst options possible in existence, an unprecedented calamity of every sort possible.

They were going to allow Chouji to pick out the restaurant.

Ino grimaced at that ghastly thought. The last time he'd been given the option of choice had not been a pretty sight for both parties. Most places in town and the other regions were quite aware of the legendary Akimichi appetite and were usually well prepared for the visit. The new Korean restaurant that Chouji had picked out, and one of the most expensive place's in town to boot, had seemingly not been educated about the clan's eating legacy. That ignorance would teach them a somewhat important lesson.

There he'd proceeded to eat and devour every last slab of beef in sight and all of the supplies that had been kept in the back. Not only did he close the place down for the next couple of days but also went above and beyond Asuma-sensei's budget, even though he had repeatedly _insisted _that he would have more then enough money to pay for everything. Along with Chouji, her and Shikamaru had also had to dip into their savings to cover the expensive outing. It was after that when a limit had been set on the amount of food Chouji was allowed to consume before he had to start paying for his own unless conditions had been set in advance. She could still remember the dumbfounded cook and the owner's awestruck, but widespread smile when they'd handed over the money. "_Come back again when we're up and running…_"

Ino stopped brushing her hair and slid her arms through the opening letting them dangle over the edge of the windowsill along with the brush she casually twirled back and forth, a wistful smile creeping over her lips as she remembered their first mission after the teams had been drawn up. She recalled describing—or pouting—to her parents, in great detail, the heavy disappointment at being paired up with a lazy complainer and someone who prodded and did nothing but inquire about the next meal break. Instead of sympathizing, her father had laughed, proudly explained that she couldn't have been matched up with better or more reliable teammates. And nothing she said could sway his opinion otherwise.

She hadn't believed it—still wouldn't even after having a couple more assignments under the belt. But it wasn't until one particular skirmish with a group of mediocre thugs when she finally understood what her father had really been referring too. By combining their particular talents, they were able to add to each other's family strengths and make up for their individual weaknesses. Together, they, the trio, really did make a solid team.

Something brushed against her wrist; minuscule, but it was enough to make her skin tickle. A flicking motion revealed a white blossom, most likely from the pagoda tree flourishing nearby. Not just the plants but also the inhabitants and the wounded village had needed a heavy rain like this for a while, something to blur the deep impression created from the despairing events over the past weeks.

The symbolism of the seedling and the life-giving downpour began to mix and swirl in her imagination, a dejected looking person popping up almost instantly. A sobbing girl who had her face buried in her lap with the deliberate intent of trying to hide, either herself or else something that she considered absolutely portentous, away from prying eyes.

"_Sakura…are you still having a rough spell_…?"

Old feelings of antagonism aside, Ino couldn't help but have a _little_ sympathy for Sakura's plight. Confessing one's love to somebody only to be shot down was definitely a kick in the stomach. On Mrs. Haruno's behalf, she'd recently tried to talk to the girl, to pull her out of this funk, but forehead had been quiet, withdrawn, and just not in the mood for conversation. It was like looking at the same girl who would get upset over the little things that she couldn't control from those first days in the academy all over again.

What actually made it worse was that Sasuke—after thinking about it—fit the profile of someone who wouldn't have been satisfied living a perfectly normal life in a governed village. The slaughter of the Uchiha clan hadn't been much of a secret although the conditions behind it were still a bit iffy. Being a bookworm, Sakura probably knew more of the details involved. Once things improved she'd see if forehead was willing to disclose some of those juicy tidbits, or else she could just come up with her own research. It would probably do her good to start hitting the library again, anyways.

But she was needed here. Ino's enhanced hearing picked up on her father's heavier footsteps on the main floor in the shop while her mother's shower sounded as if it was drawing to a close. Sooner or later, one or else both of them were going to come up here to find that she was not ready. Ponderings' had caused her to lose track of time, and the room had become a little chilly; she could almost see her breath in the brisk morning air.

Making a quiet reminder to see if Sakura wanted to join the feeding frenzy that would ensure, Ino dropped her brush on the recently tousled bed and pulled the window down, leaving just a ribbon-sized opening for ventilation.

"_And if not, then I'll drag that crybaby by the neck if need be_," Ino voicelessly admonished as she dropped the towel on the seat and faced the mirror. Taking a handful of hair and fastening a small elastic band off the dresser to tie it down into a ponytail, Ino pleasantly noted that her hair was slowly becoming longer, gradually resembling the familiar length she'd had it before the exams. Unlike Sakura, she didn't look quite as good with shortened hair nor felt that it suited her rather charismatic personality—

'_Clink_'

Ino froze in mid-thought, glanced at the window with a bewildered expression. She could have sworn that something small, hard and solid just bounced against the glass. That, or else the drops had turned into ice pebbles. It was probably cold enough.

"_Only another reason why everything needs to be in a rush on this oh-so-fine morning._"

Snuffing out her rebounding agitation in a long breathy huff, Ino finished with her hair, did an once-over in the mirror. Even with things being in a whirlwind, a girl still had to take the time to look her absolute best for the customers. She tried a smile—

'_Clink_'

—And frowned. There it was again. She hadn't been imagining anything. No mistake about it. Something _was_ tapping against the windowsill. But there hadn't been any hail a minute ago. And even as she looked over in the direction, she couldn't see anything that resembled falling sleet. Just a steady rain, but there was no way a downpour like this could make that kind of sound. Then what…?

'_Clink_'

"Ino!"

It was no longer a question of her imagination. Someone outside—an urgent but very familiar voice—was yelling out her name. Retracing her footsteps and looking outside, Ino surveyed the scene. "_I don't see anyone out there—"_

'_Clink_'

A pebble bounced off the glass a few millimeters from Ino's nose, startling her a step back. Once intrigued but now plain irritated, Ino yanked up the window and stuck her head out the window to give whoever that was a piece of her mind for adding to her already tight schedule. She should have just ignored the distraction.

But then again, it might have been about something important.

Stretching her body outward to get a better look, Ino caught a glimpse of a form half-sheltered underneath the spilling eaves troughs. "Hey!" she barked. "Who's down there?"

The crouching figure didn't answer, but flung a handful of small rocks towards the wet street. Annoyed mumblings of "…Thought I was going to have to break the damn thing…" floated over the wind, reaching her ears.

"_I know that voice—know it __quite__ well!_"

Ino's assumptions were quickly proven correct when the person had backed away from the house sufficiently enough to get a better look. Matted pink hair, dripping clothes, saturated skin—Ino had to fight in order to keep unexpected laughter from spilling out. "G_ood morning_, forehead-girl. Out for a early stroll or just trying to grow a set of gills?" she wryly inquired, a few light snickers managed to slip past.

"At least my ears work, piggy!" Sakura shot back, flinging water off her hands. "What's your excuse?"

Ino shrugged off the insult, responded mildly, "That's pretty weak considering that I'm dry as a bone and you're…well, _soaked_ to the bone."

Sakura shook wet bangs out of her face. "Brilliant comeback, Ino. Did you come up with that one all by yourself or did you need to look it up?"

"Nope," she replied. "Unlike _some_ people present, I don't need to bury my head in a ton of books to spar in a verbal conversation. And as for the pun, I figured I'd save it just especially for a—" she paused to glance left and then to the right, "—_rainy day_, but thank you for giving me the chance."

Sakura shot the blonde a sharp glare that would have sent most people scrambling for cover but Ino merely smiled gloatingly, very much aware that she had scored the winning point in their impromptu battle of wits. And Sakura, to add to her frustration, could find no scathing words to take that victory away from her.

"_Grr…forget the insult. Must, MUST, try and act pleasant…_"

"So Sakura," Ino carried on, faint undertones of triumph lingering, "What could be so vitally important that you would need to show up here this early in the morning?"

Her temper under tight control, Sakura answered unenthusiastically, "Is there a crime against having a friend come and visit?"

Feeling insulted, Ino shook her head. "There would be if I was the Hokage and it was this early. You'll have to do a lot better then that."

Sakura sighed, reluctantly nodded agreement. "Yeah, I know—look, I need to talk to you about something."

Ino's eyes perked up, but rather then jumping at the bait like she was probably expected to, she cupped her chin against the heel of her hand in an expression of intrigued puzzlement. "And this 'something' couldn't have possibly waited until a more reasonable hour?"

"No," Sakura growled, teeth grinding together, her bad mood—brought on by lack of sleep—rapidly returning. "It couldn't have."

Ino snorted in response. Everything always had to roll around Sakura's timeframe. "Fine," she said, tiring of this game a little. "What exactly did you want to talk about then?"

"Well, it's…" Sakura started to say when she looked up at the dark sky, realizing that she wasn't getting any drier by standing out here. "You know, this would probably be easier if I just came in there and explained instead of us trying to shout at each other."

"It probably would be," Ino replied matter-of-factly.

"Yeah…so when exactly were you going to go ahead and let me in?" Sakura demanded.

Ino shrugged, gestured with her left thumb. "You know where the front door is. Just knock and I'll meet you down in the shop."

"Umm…" Sakura stalled. "Actually, if you didn't mind, I was thinking more in terms of coming in through your bedroom window."

Ino paused in turn. "Why?" she asked.

Sakura dug her sandals into the ground, looking embarrassed and a little awkward. "It would be easier," she finally said after several seconds of glancing everywhere else but her. "And I wanted to talk to you…privately."

Ino frowned at the invalid response. "That's still not much of an answer, forehead."

Unable to contain her temper any longer with this expectant interrogation, Sakura finally blew up and shouted, "It's raining out here, Ino! Are you going to let me in there or not?! Her teeth practically clashed together with each angry word spoken.

Unfazed, Ino stared down at the angry girl with a quizzical expression. It wasn't like Sakura hadn't used the window to come into her house before. When they were kids, Ino would often use it as way to sneak out of the house to play with Sakura and the other girls or to get back into the house after breaking curfew and escape a likely grounding. This had carried on until they had become genin, but by then their competition over Sasuke's attention had taken precedence, and old habits were otherwise forgotten.

But something about this wasn't adding up. Why was Sakura so insistent on coming through the window instead of simply going through the front door? Not that the idea wasn't impractical, but what could have been so important that Sakura didn't want her parents to know that she was here? Whatever the reason was, it seemed fascinating. And just maybe—

"Ino!" Sakura's sharp voice cut through her thoughts.

"Alright, alright," Ino grumbled under her breath. Putting her contemplations on ice and lifting the window up again, Ino walked over to the dresser as Sakura leaped through the opening to land gracefully on the carpeted area, specks of water flying from the impact. Retrieving the towel, she spun and tossed it towards Sakura. "Here. It's a little damp, but dry yourself off before you catch a cold. Take your sandals off and close the window—_but _don't close it completely," she made sure to add. "Leave it open a crack."

Prying her feet loose, Sakura snatched the towel out of the air and immediately began dabbing at her clothes and arms. "_Damp _doesn't even come close to describing how absolutely drenched in water I am," Sakura complained as she pulled the window down remembering to leave a smidgen of open space as instructed.

"Well that tends to happen when you're walking around without the proper necessities like, say, an umbrella and a rain jacket. Were you trying to start a new fad or something?" Ino asked, taking a seat on the bed.

"No, it was suppose to be a fashion statement," Sakura retorted, voice heavy with the sarcasm. "You know, you're like some desperate comedian. You just don't know when to quit with the lame jokes until the audience is booing you off the stage, do you?"

Ino blinked, a bit taken back by the fire in Sakura's demeanor. "You said you needed to talk to me about something; so talk," she said in a short tone. "Otherwise, go back outside and cool off some more. I've dealt with enough crabbiness for one day already. Yours: I can certainly deal without."

Chastened by the warning, Sakura dropped her eyes. "Yeah—sorry. I didn't get very much sleep and I'm kind of grumpy…" caught Ino's brow twitching, "…_really _grumpy because of it," she reluctantly corrected.

Sakura's attempt at an apology taking some of the edge out of her own crankiness, Ino commiserated instantly with the girl. "Yeah…I know the feeling. Is that helping any?" she abruptly asked, pointing at the towel.

Finishing with her skin and beginning to work on her wet locks, Sakura lifted her shoulders in a light shrug. "A little bit. You wouldn't happen to have a blow drier handy would you?" She paused, hesitantly asked, "Ino—this towel…it hasn't been—?"

Chuckling, Ino shook her head for negative. "Yes, it's clean. I was the only that used it." She moved to the other side of the bed, "And no, I don't have a drier handy," she added. "Closest one would be in the bathroom, and _Okaa-san_ is in there right now," she explained, a sudden lance of irritation evident in the honorific.

Not missing a beat, Sakura smirked. "Are you two at each other's throats again?" In her view, those two always seemed to be fighting about something. It was pretty well the same kind of relationship that she and her mother seemed to thrive off.

Pulling the side of the blanket back, Ino made a growling sound in the back of her throat to express disdain. "That's basically the gist of it. You'd better have a seat, so I can mop you down."

Sakura glanced at the sleeping cot skeptically, a corner of her lip curved down. "You sure? My clothes are still wet. I'll just wind up getting your bedspread all drenched."

Ino waved a nonchalant hand. "Don't be ridiculous. It's not like they can't be washed, and they're probably due for it anyway. Stop worrying."

Severely tempted to shoot off a deliberate retort relating to her comment, Sakura, instead, tossed the towel on the end of the bed deciding not to push whatever luck she had left. Once she was seated, Sakura let out a soft, grateful exhalation as Ino wrapped the bulky blanket around her back, her slender hands scrubbing briskly alongside Sakura's shoulders. After a minute of this Ino decided to check her progress. "Is that better?"

Sakura glanced back over her shoulder. "Yeah, thanks. You can stop now." She waited until Ino was sitting down next to her before presenting her opening. "I, uh, suppose you want to know why I'm here," Sakura timidly asked.

Taking a second to tuck a foot underneath her other thigh, Ino casually answered, "To, uh, _talk_," she replied, using the same hesitant tone that Sakura had to show how unusual she was being. "We've already been through that. But what's so important that you didn't want my parents to see you?" she pressed, reaching over to tousle Sakura's already ruined hair like a little kid. "Other then to hide your _ravishing_ hairdo?"

Knowing that she was going to have to open up a bit sooner or later, Sakura gently bit the inside of her cheek, spoke cautiously, "I kind of…needed to ask about something."

Ino kept her expression carefully neutral. "Go on."

Sakura closed her eyes. "I need a favor," she answered directly.

Ino made a face then flashed an annoyed look. "What, like a tooth removed? I hope that wasn't too painful to have to spit out. Now what do you need?"

Gathering her nerve, she turned to face Ino. "This is going to sound awkward but hear me out," she explained, pausing for a second to work out her beginning. "See…it's like this," she started out. "I—"

There was a short knock closely followed by the bedroom door opening as Mrs. Yamanaka strolled through, already dressed, sporting a similar looking towel wrapped around her hair. A taller, slender woman, Sakura was quickly reminded of just how startlingly attractive she was, clearly exuberating the same natural poise and self-confidence that Ino exhibited. It was fair to say that she was ranked solidly behind Ino when the question of role models was concerned. "Ino. Your father and I are waiting and—" her firm voice broke off as both Ino and Sakura turned to face her. Clearly surprised to see the other girl in the room, Mrs. Yamanaka stammered, "Oh…good morning, Sakura."

Smiling pleasantly—as if she'd been that way this entire time—Sakura inclined her head in a trim gesture of politeness. "Good morning, Mrs. Yamanaka. How are you?"

Mrs. Yamanaka automatically returned the bow. "I'm fine, dear," she replied smoothly, then asked inquisitively, "but when did you show up? I didn't see you when I was in here this morning."

Sakura faltered, not sure of what to say. Like a dimwit, she hadn't prepared for the possibility that she would have to justify her reasoning for being there in Mrs. Yamanaka's presence. "Well, I—"

"Oh, she's been here all night, Okaa-san," Ino quickly spoke up, catching Sakura's eye and deliberately cutting her response off. "Sakura was feeling down, so I invited her over so that we could have a girl talk, but then it started to rain and I told her to spend the night here." She glanced at Sakura for approval and winked. "Isn't that right?"

Sakura nodded to confirm her part in the fraudulently slick tale. "Yes, that's right," then quickly said to Mrs. Yamanaka, "I apologize for sneaking over so late and for keeping Ino. I honestly didn't know she was needed down in the shop," and she really hadn't.

Mrs. Yamanaka smiled thoughtfully at the girl, going back to the explanation that Ino had given when she had explained the difficulty that Sakura was having in Uchiha Sasuke's departure. She had sympathized; careful to explain that failure in a teenager's first love was often the most difficult to handle and that it would take time to mend that inner anguish, although Ino hadn't exactly taken the news lightly, either.

What _had _surprised her was the immense concern her daughter had expressed over Sakura. Despite their rivalry and their desire to outdo the other in terms of skill and ability, they were the closest of friends right to the very end. Seeing them sitting together like this was quite a refreshing sight. The things that could reunite people together were often strange and unusual events. And she just plain liked the girl.

"That's all right," Mrs. Yamanaka finally acknowledged. "If I had known you were here, Sakura, I wouldn't have had Ino up so early. You must really be improving on your stealth abilities. I didn't even see you. Did I happen to wake you up?" She placed a hand over her mouth at the realization of the mistake. "Oh, dear! My sincerest apologies if I did. I hadn't known—!"

Sakura held up her hands to ease the woman's palpable guilt. "Oh no, that's fine. I needed to be up early anyways so this works out for me perfectly."

Mrs. Yamanaka didn't seem quite convinced but it was clear that she wasn't going to argue the issue any further. "Okay, but again I must apologize for the noise and clutter. Our inventory shipment was supposed to have arrived the other day but it was switched for this morning so we've had to rush in order to have the old inventory cleared away to make room for the new stock," she carefully explained.

Ino sprang to her feet. "Speaking of that, I should probably be down there giving you guys a hand—"

Her mother held up a hand to halt her daughter's momentum. "No, no, that's all right. Your father and I can take care of that. You both just stay here and gossip for a while. Would you like me to bring up some tea?"

Ino turned to look at the guest—correction, _their_ guest. "Tea?"

Sakura declined, not wishing to be anymore of a bother. "I'll be fine. I should probably be going in a while, anyways. I need to let my mom know that I'm okay before she sends out an ANBU search party," she added for dramatic flair and a little disarming humor.

Mrs. Yamanaka laughed. "I don't think she'd go quite that far, but what better notion would you need to prove that she cares about you?"

Sakura smiled ruefully. "I know." It wasn't needed but, nonetheless, she said it again, "Please excuse me for being such a pest."

As expected the older women waved the apology aside. "Not a problem, Sakura, not a problem. I'm just glad to see you with a nice smile on your face. Stay as long as you like and be sure to let Ino know if you need anything else, you hear?"

Promising that she would do just that, Mrs. Yamanaka nodded once more before gracefully exiting, quietly shutting the door behind her and leaving the two alone again. Once the sound of her footsteps faded down the recesses of the hallway, Sakura's sigh exuded real gratification. "Thanks, Ino. I owe you one."

Ino looked at her nonplussed. "For…?" her voice trailed off, then realization suddenly struck like a shuriken in the chest. "…Oh, you mean telling that fib _was_ the favor?"

Sakura gave her a scathing look. "W-well, yeah. Why the hell else would you have lied for me?"

The girl shrugged, casually ran a lazy thumb along her perfect fingernails and then blew on them. "To get myself out of about two hours worth of work." She waited until Sakura's facial color reached a bright shade of angry red before casually adding, "And to pull your butt, and probably mine, out of whatever fire you had a part in starting."

"Kill two birds with one stone," Sakura grumbled. "I swear that when you're not trying to get a rise out of me—"

"—Then it's the other way around, right?" Ino finished the statement for her. She patiently waited while Sakura considered the validness in that sentence. She then burst out into fits of what must have been tension releasing laughter. The atypical, yet delighted sound of Sakura's giggles roused Ino enough to join in rare chorus along with her. Laughing at nothing yet everything was a behavior that the two hadn't exhibited since simpler times, before any speck of rivalry was ever even conceived. When they'd finally quieted down, Ino leaned back and smoothly pushed off of the bed. "I haven't heard you laugh that hard for quite some time, forehead," Ino admitted as she waltzed over to the window to look outside. "You must be in better shape then I figured."

"You sound as if you were almost worried," Sakura remarked with a slash of sarcasm.

With only a smile and a nod in return, Ino pushed the pane up enough again so that she could stick her head outside without restriction, folding her arms along the smooth. sturdy frame. "Dummy—of course I was worried. I'm not that cold-hearted!" As if the matter was getting too personal for her taste, she swiftly changed the subject. "This is almost a nice change of pace," Ino spoke up, making indication towards the gloom outside. "After everything that's happened, the village could use about a week's worth of rain to wash away some of the bleakness. Wouldn't you say?"

"Not so much a week, maybe," Sakura offered, keeping pace and trying to be realistic while retaining to the fact that Ino took a great deal of enjoyment from a good shower. "But a good day's worth would definitely do the trick. It's been such a dry summer, too."

Ino offered no response but the vigorous nod indicated she was pleased with the response. "I wonder what time it started to rain?" Ino casually ventured. "It must have been quite late in the night."

"I'm not too sure, but it would have to have been somewhere around midnight," Sakura innocently replied, unaware so far that Ino was fishing for information. "At least that was about the time I noticed it," she was quick to add in her defense.

"Mm. I see." Ino was silent as she continued to peer outside, a short gust whipping her ponytail from side to side. The hollow sound of wind chimes rang from another house nearby. Sakura wrapped her arms around her ankles, unsure of what else to say for the moment. Then she heard Ino whisper, "Well, this should be interesting."

"What should be interesting?" Sakura inquired, an immediate pang of anxiety creeping through her.

As if confirming Sakura's nervous suspicions, Ino turned and smiled wickedly. "The response that _you're_ going to give me explaining just where you were last night, and why I just told that fib for you."

Panicking, Sakura started giggling again, this time out of sheer apprehension. "Oh, there's really nothing to explain," she found herself blurting out. "All I did was sneak out of the house to get some air, got caught up in the bad weather, and had to spend the night at somebody's house. There's absolutely no need to make a big deal out of something that isn't," Sakura stumbled as she rubbed the back of her head while continuing to laugh over-extravagantly, hoping against hope that she sounded more blasé.

Turning to lean against the wall and casually folding her arms, Ino continued to grin ravenously. A performance like the one she was witnessing might have been clever enough to fool someone else who wasn't acquainted with Sakura's nervous habits. Very fortunately for herself, and rather unfortunately for Sakura, she was not that 'someone else' but rather the close childhood friend who could spot and easily identify untruths from a long ways away. And based on the great length that Sakura was apparently going, this looked to be quite the whopper of a secret. "And just _who _would this somebody happen to be?" Ino pressed, deliberately making sure to put a weighting amount of emphasis on the word 'who' as she went to knell on the bed again.

Silently apologizing to Naruto, who was probably still sound asleep right now, Sakura responded lamely with, "Umm…well, nobody all that special in particular. Just, you know, a friend."

Casually sliding a foot along the slick floor, Ino made an tsk tsk sound. "And this _friend _of yours—who obviously didn't have any umbrellas—just happened to be awake at what, say…midnight?" she asked, remembering the time proximity that Sakura had given

"Well, yeah, I mean it was Friday and a lot of people just happen to stay up late on Fridays'," Sakura retorted—babbled—in reply. "I mean, didn't _you_ stay up late last night?"

Ino wasn't buying into the direction of the argument. "Sorry, forehead, but no. I was sleeping. Stop trying to change the subject and 'fess up already, or else I'll—" She suddenly stopped talking, a sudden epiphany latching hold of her, sprouting an instant suspicion that rose like some magical beanstalk. Did all of this go-between nonsense have something to do with their deep-rooted fixation over Sasuke? Did Sakura know something about him; some personal secret that she was afraid to discuss because it might have alienated the two of them even further? Maybe even something relating to his leaving, or else…was it possible that maybe he was still—

"Does this have something to do with Sasuke-kun, Sakura?" Ino outright demanded, her train of thought instantly becoming vocally empowered. "Did he come back? Is he back in the village? Are you hiding him somewhere?" Her rampant questions raced along as fast as her imagination allowed.

"No, no, no and no," Sakura responded swiftly and curtly, already well prepared for this inevitable diatribe. Although it was already to be expected that Sasuke would become a topic here, Sakura neither had the time nor the patience for bothersome accusations, and thus, was determined to pop this bubble before it could further expand into something that wasn't. "This has nothing to do with Sasuke-kun."

"_Yeah right,_" were the words that instantly sprung into Ino's brain. After all of the events that had transpired, there was absolutely no way that Sasuke couldn't be an issue here. It wasn't possible. And yet…something about Sakura and the way her chin was set…

"You're a little mad at him, aren't you?"

Showing cracks in her countenance, Sakura frowned at the awkward, out of the blue question. "Mad at who?" Sakura questioned, trying to play dumb.

The feelings of accusation gone, Ino pulled herself a little more into the middle of the bed and crossed her ankles, burying her feet under the depth of the covers for additional warmth, her toes touching Sakura's already warming legs. "Sasuke-kun. You're upset with him." She waited a moment for Sakura to process that possibility before asking her again, "Aren't you?"

Sakura glanced down at her hands. "Why would I be mad at Sasuke-kun?" she softly asked.

"I don't know," Ino replied, her voice turning quiet. "Why would you be?"

Sakura's eyes shot up angrily. "Don't you even! I'm not in the mood for some psychoanalyzing crap! You're not a psychologist or an academy councilor, Ino! Don't try and start acting like one!"

"I'm not," Ino said, her voice cooling a few degrees. "What I am doing—_trying to do_—is act like a friend here; the key word being 'trying', and you're really not making that easy. I know something's bothering you and—"

"Why are you just simply assuming that it's about Sasuke-kun?" she asked suddenly.

This time Ino was the one to glance away. "Well what else could it be?" she asked in an unrepentant voice.

Sakura was mildly surprised that the compulsive urge to verbally or else physically lash out at Ino for her continuing need to bring this competition into view was otherwise absent. It almost didn't seem to matter how many times it was said. In this type of conversation, Sasuke would always remain the central focal point here. But if there was ever a time to shed light on a couple things, it was now.

"Ino…I was…no, I am a little angry with Sasuke," she spoke gently, deliberately leaving out the honorific that she always proudly added to his name to show how serious she was. "After everything that's happened and the people that have been hurt because of all of this, it wouldn't be right to turn the other cheek and say that everything's perfectly okay when it's obvious that it isn't." She waited until she had Ino's full attention, most importantly eye contact, before continuing. "I'm sorry…that I snapped at you like that. It wasn't called for. I just…ever since he left, I've been acting like a basket case all week. I really placed a lot of unneeded blame on myself for the things I thought that could have been prevented when they really couldn't. I figured that I could have done more to keep Sasuke from leaving, but it was only until recently—very recently—when I realized that that wasn't the case." She smiled sardonically. "I guess when a person wants something bad enough where they're willing to push their own friends aside…"

"Do you really believe that?" Ino blurted out in a forthright stance, completely ignoring that last statement. "I mean, you can't actually think that he would just leave like that without having some kind of regret." Obviously, this question had been jumbling around on her side for a time. She simply hadn't had the occasion to have it answered until now.

"No. Not now…not even then." Sakura pulled a little more of the blanket across her lap. "I get the impression that he was going to leave for awhile now. Ever since he—well, since we participated in the Chuunin exams." The topic of Orochimaru and the cursed seal wasn't a particular subject that needed to be discussed right now. If absolutely needed, she could bring it up some other time once things had cooled down—

"You're talking about that strange aura of chakra that came from Sasuke-kun," Ino pointed out almost smugly. When Sakura couldn't find a reasonable reply, Ino shook her head. "I was _there_, Sakura. A person doesn't forget those certain kind of details. I've already deduced the idea that something happened to him in that forest. Something important." Ino looked askance at Sakura. "Correct?"

Sakura nodded ruefully. "I didn't want to say anything until I figured out a few things myself," she protested, "but that's a part of it, yes. It happened just after we fought with Orochimaru and—"

"Hold on a minute," she interrupted. "Orochimaru?" Ino repeated the name slowly. "The same legendary Orochimaru once regarded as one of the most powerful ninja ever existing, and the person who was behind the entire attack raid of the village? _That_ Orochimaru?"

"Yeah…that Orochimaru," Sakura reiterated, the bitterness in her words could almost be pertained to chewing on a particularly sour lemon. "He cursed Sasuke-kun by placing a strange seal on the side of his neck. Whenever he tried to use any sort of jutsu or the sharingan, the seal would then activate and try to take him over. Kakashi-sensei had said that the markings were contained, but to what extent…that I'm not sure of."

Ino crossed her arms. "But why Sasuke? Was it because of his ability to use the sharingan? Did he do that just to restrict him?"

"I think…it depends on the way you look at it," Sakura explained carefully. "From what I had seen, the seal provides an enormous boost of strength, but at the same time, the body is unable to handle that kind of unnatural chakra and starts to break down. I'm pretty sure that there are other side effects too, but this is what I've been able to gather so far."

"So it's double-edged, then" Ino clarified.

Sakura nodded. "I'm certain that Tsunade-sama or Kakashi-sensei, given time, could have been able to make further progress on the workings of the seal, but Orochimaru is probably the only one who fully understands how it actually works. He deliberately planted that mark on Sasuke-kun simply because he knows just how important power is to him."

"And Orochimaru knew that Sasuke-kun would be tempted enough to leave and seek him out?"

"That's right," Sakura grumbled, "and what makes me angry about it is that Sasuke-kun is smart and savvy enough to know that he's being used by Orochimaru, for whatever that purpose might be. And even knowing that, Sasuke-kun is still allowing himself to be used." Grabbing a pillow from behind, she placed it over her lap and planted her elbows atop of it while cradling her face against her palms. "And then there was that skirmish he had with his brother which of course didn't help matters any either." Her lips crinkled with deep dismay.

Ino repressed the unsettling feeling of guilt that was building in her gut. If she'd had any form of tact, she probably would have quit pushing and left the whole Sasuke issue alone already instead of snooping around. Frankly she was surprised that Sakura hadn't told her to buzz off and/or else mind her own business. Either it really wasn't bothering her as much as she'd said it did or she had this whole issue buried a lot deeper then what Ino had thought.

Still…

"You don't—you can't really believe that Sasuke-kun would just throw himself into the arms of the enemy. I mean, you said it yourself that he's smart enough to know that he's being led by the nose," Ino found herself asking. "I know that he was—is—your teammate, but even I can't accept that him leaving without having a deeper motive. How do you know that it's Orochimaru and not Sasuke-kun who's being used?"

She'd been mentally preparing for some massive outburst; not the tiny expression resembling a smile that danced along Sakura's face. "You came to that possibility, too, huh?"

Ino snorted, ran a lazy finger alongside her nose. "Well, yeah. That does seem a lot more rational then just flat-out abandoning the village, but who are we to say. We both know that Sasuke-kun isn't all that outspoken. Well not to me, anyways. But then again—" Ino stuck her tongue out at Sakura, "—he's not on my team."

"And envy is still your favorite color," Sakura tossed in, returning the childish gesture with one of her own. She then became serious. "And besides, what better way to figure out the venom of a snake then by understanding the snake itself."

"_Keep your friends close, but keep your enemies even closer_." The old expression jumped into Ino's mind. Although she wanted to sound a little optimistic in light of this new possibility, surely Sakura understood the massive amount of risk that went along with an idea of such dangerous proportions. And if that really was Sasuke's plan this entire time…"Whatever the reason might have been, being angry with him for the rest of your adolescent life isn't going to make it any easier to acknowledge the fact that he's gone," Ino pointed out. "There is a thing such as life after Sasuke-kun."

Sakura blew an unladylike raspberry. "I've already arrived at that conclusion, piggy. _You're_ the one who keeps bringing the subject up."

Ino reached forward and smacked her on the shoulder, not quite that willing to peaceably hand over the victory. "Oh, just never mind. All I'm trying to do is form my own conclusions on the whole matter," she said in a manner of childlike petulance. "I'm certain that every other kunoichi in the village who ever had a crush on Sasuke-kun is doing the same thing."

"_And I thought I was bad,_" Sakura mused silently. Turning to stare at the window, Sakura quietly said, "Well whatever the case is, I'd like you to keep what I said pertaining to Orochimaru to yourself. It's probably not exactly the kind of gossip that should be spread around the village, especially not after all the damage that's been done. Right now, people need to feel reassured that things will get better in time. You know?"

Ino solidly agreed. "That makes sense to me. Everyone's got enough on their plate as it is. Things might as well be left alone, at least for awhile."

Sakura nodded but didn't turn to look at Ino. When Sakura didn't glance back after several seconds, Ino turned to look at whatever was catching Sakura's eye but she couldn't see anything, aside from the half-opened the window and the clouds beyond. From past experience that mesmerizing stare indicated that Sakura was deep in thought over something that she regarded as being important. Ino then remembered Sakura saying something about being at a friend's house just before the conversation sidetracked. For somebody who was referred to as being nobody special, Sakura sure seemed to act like it was someone with the answer to some great mystery of the universe. And if this really wasn't about Sasuke, then what was it all about?

"Why did you come here, Sakura?" Ino asked, deciding to be as completely straightforward as possible. Politeness could only get a person so far. "Telling a fib for you is one thing, but not knowing why I'm fibbing for you is completely different. Now you didn't come here just to ask for favors. You came here because you either wanted to talk about something relatively important, or else get my opinion on a particular matter. Either way, I think you owe me the truth."

"I already told you the truth," Sakura murmured stubbornly, half-wishing that Ino would drop it already.

"Yes, but—!" Ino realized that she was becoming agitated again, forced the note of irritation into submission before going on. "Sakura…thank you, for putting a few things into perspective and shedding some insight about Sasuke-kun. But…you said that he wasn't the issue here, and we both damn well know something _is_ gnawing at you," she told her.

This elected a defeated sigh from the visitor. "You just…won't give it up, will you?"

Knowing that she was beginning to break through to her, Ino smiled dazzlingly, knowingly. "You _know_ I'll prod you _endlessly_ until you talk."

"_That's what I'm afraid of…_"

"It's stupid," Sakura muttered at last.

"Try me," was Ino's reply. Knowing that she almost had Sakura won off, she pushed by saying, "C'mon. We're best friends. I promise I won't make a big deal out of…whatever it is." She completed the pledge with another smile. "Okay?"

Sakura tried not to grimace. That sounded about as favorable as a desperate mouse trying to bargain with some lazy cat. Desperate or not, once she'd made that choice to show up over here and ask for a favor, she'd also resigned herself to the fate of whatever outlandish terms of agreement Ino could come up with. And they really weren't all that outlandish to begin with. If anybody was being difficult here, then she was the guilty party. This…reluctance…to discuss the late and/ now early hours at the apartment paled in comparison to the occupant himself. She still hadn't been able to connect any plausible conclusions when she'd left this morning, and felt just as uncertain as she'd been while sitting by the side of his bed watching him sleep like some cunning stalker. And the few hours of sleep she had managed to gain just didn't seem like they'd helped at all.

Ino mentally sighed. "_So much for confession being good for the soul…_" Clearing her throat, she prepared to try again. "Look…Sakura—"

"I went to Naruto's last night."

The finger Ino had been holding up in a scolding manner slowly began to shrink and disappear back into her surprised fist. That succinct response didn't sound completely baffling. The two _were_ teammates after all. It just wouldn't have been her first guess. "Well that's…" she paused to find the correct words, settled on simplicity, "…no big deal. Hardly a reason to keep it hidden behind three layers of security jutsu."

Sakura swabbed at her temples. "It's actually, umm, a little more complicated and confusing then that."

"Oh?" Eyes lifting in surprise, Ino drummed her fingers against her leg. "Well…why not start from the, uh, beginning and, uh…" she shrugged, lifted her hands in a indifferent motion, "…take it from there I guess—Now when you mean Naruto, you're talking about Uzumaki Naruto the _prankster_, right?"

Sakura twitched. "No. I mean the other Naruto—the doppelganger—that lives about seven villages north and four villages over to the east!" she growled already starting to regret letting Ino talk her into broaching the subject. Strangely, although not surprisingly enough, just bringing his name up in the open like that had began to disassociate and drain some of the stress out of her. Come to think of it, she wasn't feeling quite as tired as she had five minutes ago either.

"Well then?" Ino said, inviting her to speak.

But the moodiness was still there. Probably would be for the duration of the visit. Stifling a snort at her persistence, Sakura turned to look at Ino, wordlessly promising vengeance if this conversation started to turn into a fracas. "Just don't interrupt me," she said, intelligent green eyes narrowing in warning. Only upon receiving a solemn nod from a calm faced Ino did Sakura began to give a measured recount of the events prior to now.

Despite the nagging innuendo that the crafted detail she was using would have been satisfactory for a mass murder scene Ino carefully listened as Sakura talked about the past couple days, talked about how low she'd been feeling; her dejection, how she'd felt a little embarrassed and foremost relieved when Naruto had shown up and the almost self-seeking feeling of comfort that she'd felt with him just being there. She then talked about her indiscreet resolve to go to his apartment to continue the conversation. Partially for Naruto's sake, but the reality was that she'd had her own interests in mind. Voice softening, she then talked about that visit in loose detail, talked about Naruto's accommodating hospitality—materialistically, emotionally, or compassionately. She was calm for the most part, placid even—until she got to a point where she described herself watching Naruto while he slept in his bed. Something in Sakura's expression seemed to change—notably her eyes—while she spoke.

Hearing her talk Ino found it more and more difficult to take in this conversation without the nagging allusion that words were being said but nothing seemed to be fitting in place; a plethora of mismatched puzzle pieces. She kept expecting Sakura to stop and say that she was joking—kidding, but the conversation kept progression and she didn't appear to be doing that. For all intents and purposes Ino just couldn't quite buy into the peculiar series of events that Sakura was attempting to describe (not that she'd been expected to); especially since Ino recalled, with acute memory, the number of occasions Sakura had expressed such utter and complete dismay that they were allowing the class clown of their graduating class (who was supposed to have failed anyways) to be placed in team seven. _Her _team. Ino had always been able to comfortably smirk over that addition. "_Let forehead suffer a little with that headache._" It had been as good a sign as any that nobody ever completely got their way without some sort of stumbling block to trip over. Maybe it'd be a good idea to bring that up afterwards…

But she'd been told to keep a vigil silence right now, and good friend protocol decreed that it was important that she respect those wishes so by the time Sakura had finished with her semi-lengthy anecdote, Ino had only one absolutely pressing question to ask.

"You…slept…in the same bed…with him?"

A muscle in Sakura's cheek seemed to burst. "That stupid, stubborn Naruto wouldn't give me any choice in the matter!" she argued. "I kept telling him, _repeatedly_, that I'd sleep on the couch and he could take the bed, but he wouldn't listen. Wouldn't have any of it! I even tried to say that it was better that way, that it was necessary so that he could recoup from his injuries, and the bastard _still_ wouldn't budge!"

Ino covered a smile with one hand. "So, Naruto managed to get you—" she hesitated, straightaway knowing that this next comment was probably going to land her under some very hot water but didn't care, "—under the sheets, so to say. Why Sakura, I didn't think you had it in you." She started to laugh.

Eyes bulging with madness, Sakura launched herself at Ino in an uncontrollable wave of fury, breaking her lively tittering apart and knocking her on her back. "DAMMIT, I WAS TIRED, INO-PIG! TIRED, TIRED, TIRED, DAMMIT!" Sakura screamed insistently and rapidly, her hands tightly clenched around the collar of Ino's shirt as she shook her repeatedly with the ferocity of an hunger driven wildcat determined to snuff the life out of its frantic prey.

"Tired—okay, Sakura, okay—got it, let go now, Sakura—_gack_—let go," Ino querulously begged, voice gargled and distorted from her head being heaved and smacked against the bed repeatedly. If Ino hadn't been predicting this response, expecting these repercussions—and wasn't feeling so dizzy—she'd be still laughing. Only when Sakura's storm of rage was fully satisfied did she show mercy and finally release Ino from the punishment/physical temper tantrum.

"There was absolutely nothing that remotely resembled the sick idea bouncing around in that peanut-sized brain of yours," Sakura panted between short breaths, nostrils flaring from the abruptness of the instigated tussle. Teasing as it might have been intended to sound, those very assumptions were the _absolute_ last thing she wanted to hear; had nearly feared to hear. If Ino had any current desire to live—which Sakura was _rather_ certain of—then it would be absolutely wise on Ino's part to keep any traces of this taboo conversation within these walls, for both of their sakes. Although based on what happened just now, Sakura felt some assurance that Ino had gotten that particular hint and would keep her mouth shut.

The flood of adrenaline petering out of her system, Sakura looked down, was very much considering the abrupt, but enticing idea of stretching out for just a while. Even just resting her eyes for a scant few minutes would be a treat right now. And she was just about to quit toying with the notion and follow through with it completely when Ino slowly started to sit up.

She used the point of her elbows to anchor herself and, with a light grunt, lifted her head off of the quilt into 'not quite' a sitting position, but an uncomfortable looking slant. Almost sure that she was going to get bawled out for her actions, Sakura reached forward, was about to give Ino a grudging hand up when she suddenly paused, defenses slowly rising again as she studied the blonde-haired girl with a scrupulous glance; neither certain nor prepared for the mischievous sly, almost goading looking smirk beaming proudly off of Ino's mouth. It was as if Ino had been searching for, and finally coming across, the answers to a question that had never been asked. Not in a verbal sense, anyway.

Ignoring her returning apprehension and managing to stare Ino in the eye without panicking or appearing abashed, Sakura crossed her arms, hoped that the strict gesture alone would give the impression that she looked more self-assured on the outside then what she felt inside. "What's with the dumb grin, Ino-pig?" Sakura barked maliciously.

Ino's lip continued to curl in amusement, paying no mind to the flash of Sakura's temper. "Oh, I was just wondering if you were feeling a little more composed, little less tense? I mean; I wouldn't have wanted you to suffer from a total breakdown. Brushing smoldering ashes out of feather-tick is such a pain; the powdery mess it makes on the floor is just as bad, and don't even get me started on how bad the room starts to smell," she said while holding her nose and making _phew_ noises.

Sakura was just about to caution her on the over excessive need for sarcasm and get to the point when Ino drove this ludicrous conversation even further. "Now that you're calmed down, I guess it's safe to ask this now," she resolved, keenly aware that Sakura wasn't in the least. "Tell me, does Naruto snore like a saw in his sleep or is he quiet for the most part?"

"_**SHOW NO MERCY!**_" Inner Sakura shrieked.

Blood rushing through her veins and teeth clenching, Sakura was just about to accept that order with the greatest of pleasure, preparing to launch herself a second time at Ino—who had the continued audacity to grin, practically basking in the poisonous concoction that she had deliberately mixed and stirred for herself. If she was relying on that mind technique 'the _shintenshin_' to help her, she could forget it. It wouldn't work from this close range anyways. In the moment that it would take Ino to sit up, get her arms out and up into position, she would be on her like a shadow. For Sakura, the temptation to pummel piggy again and wipe that look, that cunning smile, off her face was almost too great to resist now. She started forward—

_Hold on a sec!_

—And paused in mid-surge; almost so abruptly that the pause shocked her, even more so then Ino who'd been forced to fall backwards, freeing up her hands to defend herself. Ino did nothing but lay there as Sakura hunched over her form, lost in thought.

Why had she stopped? What had caused her to halt like that? It wasn't like Ino hadn't been asking for a good thrashing. She'd trusted her to keep a somewhat open mind about this conversation, to not turn around and assume every irrational conclusion possible. But it was just as she'd expected; that pestering, childish characteristic was just _so_ very like Ino. And what was even more peevish was that the pig was smart enough (regrettably) to know that she was like that, and often used that to her advantage, just like—just like she was doing now.

_Just like she was doing now_…

Oh for—!

Of course Ino knew! Because of the circumstances and the teasing and the prodding, Ino had _anticipated_ that Sakura was going to react in some outrageous manner. Missions and assignments often, and sometimes unsurprisingly, took more then just one day to fulfill. Sleeping arrangements were often kept close together and not scattered in the emergency that bandits or thieves might try to attack in the night and the group was kept together. If that was the case, then why let such a stupid question like Naruto's snoring get under her skin like that? If she'd done some thinking in the beginning instead of going off the deep end, then Ino would have assumed that there was nothing going on and the discussion would have been finished right there. At least that's what Sakura presumed. It didn't help to keep Naruto a mystery in the first place, but now that his name had been brought up and because of her reaction, she'd effectively just let on that there really was an unusual conflict of interests going on here; that is if she hadn't given that suspicion already too.

For her efforts, Sakura, in a huff, still felt like strangling Ino but she snuffed out the temptation, settled for stretching out instead. Left hand behind her scalp, Sakura brushed hair out of her eyes; then draped the other across her chest. "Congratulations, Ino," Sakura grumbled in a deadpan tone. "You've just succeeded in your efforts to get me to make an ass out of myself. I'd give you a prize but I'm fresh out of medals."

"That's okay. I'll take your sulking defeat as a prize over some cheap medal any day of the week." Ino assured her.

Allowing the taunt to pass, Sakura shut her eyes, sighed without rancor. "You know that nothing happened there," she quietly repeated.

Ino shook her head, noted the chill in the room and took a moment to savor the wet scented breeze blowing through the crack. Good thing she'd had the foresight to tell Sakura not to fully shut it earlier or else it might have gotten to muggy in here from their fiery conversation. "Of course I know that, you dummy," she concurred. "Instead of trying to peel the explanation apart like an orange, you should have just sliced it," she made a chopping gesture, "like an apple and got to the point."

Sakura snorted. "Shut the window—it's cold!" she ordered. "And just how would you have reacted if I jumped to the point without any information to back it up?"

"Dunno—but I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't be trying to strangle you." She jumped up and closed the window for the third time that morning. "Or having mood swings for that matter."

Sakura didn't buy that. "Whatever. You were the one who was all 'I won't make a big deal out of it Sakura. I promise," she repeated, managing to do a fair impression of Ino's choice words. "Don't say that you wouldn't have flipped out in some way or another, because you would have."

"Maybe," Ino quickly agreed. "Now could you slide over please?" she asked, trying to change the subject. "It's cold in here."

"I thought you liked that kind of weather," Sakura reminded her but grudgingly scooted over, allowing Ino space to get under the sheets with her. Once she was stretched out and satisfied, Ino heaved out a breath in unbridled content. "There's nothing like it, Sakura. Being under a thick blanket in a bed where it's nice and warm when there's a crispness in the air just has to be about the best thing around."

"Mm," she mumbled, becoming far too comfortable again to really care about Ino's preferred sleeping arrangements. If anything there wasn't really anything left to say or do. She'd asked for a favor and was now obligated to return that debt. They'd had their likelihood exchange of arguments. The matter of Sasuke was closed—for now. And then there was the divulgence of Naruto. She still wasn't too sure what to do with that yet, but she'd figure something out eventually. Maybe…it was just some wacky, emotional phase she was going through right now. That had to be it. Naruto would recover in rapid fashion as usual, make some stupid comment about something random that would irritate her _as usual_, she'd whap him upside the head, and then go back to wishing Sasuke were there by her side. Everything would be just like it was before.

And what was she doing—going into this for what had to be the umpteenth time again? Things _were not_ like they like they were before. Sasuke was gone and there was no reasoning around that, end of story, period. She'd said that out-loud and she'd discussed it with herself mentally. She'd gone through all the reasons, deduced all the variables, and had sought some way to make all of this sound logical so that she could move on. But words and logic couldn't smother all of the pangs of ache in her intricate, stubborn heart that refused to let go of the past.

And then there was Naruto: A topic that existed in its own right of conundrums, or did it?

By now, Sakura was almost certain that she was making far too big of a deal with this whole thing already. Five hours of friendly accounting wasn't quite enough to change an opinion that had been credited to an accretion of his mischief making over the years—but it was also those traits that had saved them on several occasions in the past. And she had to admit that Naruto had developed in his abilities and was becoming far more reliable then she had ever though possible, so much that even she was starting to get jealous of his improvement. She also respected him for his drive to improve—although she wished that he would spend more time in developing his brain as much as his physical strength. He did have the potential—but lacked the proper mental discipline. When he reached adulthood, Naruto was really going to need someone—a strong female presence who could be both compassionate and tolerant during those times when dreams took more precedence then the grips of reality.

"Sakura? Are you falling asleep on me?" Ino asked, having the courtesy to keep her voice low and non-intrusive.

Sakura yawned for a reply. "I'm just resting my eyes, thinking."

"I see." Ino was quiet for a few seconds, then lazily asked, "Thinking about how you're going to ensnare Naruto?"

Sakura inhaled a sharp breath but didn't huff. She didn't need to open her eyes to know that Ino was beaming, hoping that she'd blow another gasket. "No, _piggy_. Just trying to plan out my schedule for the day," she managed easily.

"Ah, okay." She was somewhat pleased, though secretly a trifle disappointed that she hadn't gotten an explosive rebuttal again. Ino contested to pushing Sakura's buttons a bit more but decided that she might actually bite off more then she could possibly chew. At least she hadn't had the unwanted pleasure of dealing with Sakura's second mind/personality again during this conversation. Otherwise she might be cowering in a corner, frightened out of her mind while Sakura stalked her with pure malice. An exaggeration of course, but that was still something she didn't plan on wanting to see again. That first time was enough. "You know, I can't believe I'm actually saying this but this has been kind of nice," Ino found herself blurting out.

Sakura glanced over, eyes still closed. "This? This as in me being here?" she asked, searching for clarification.

Ino laughed. "Yeah, dummy," she replied. "Not being at each others throats about who loves Sasuke-kun more or who he likes more, but just hanging out. We don't really do it all that much anymore—and you've been depressed lately." She smiled crookedly. "All I'm saying is that it's nice that you came over to talk and that you're still willing to confide in me about the things you consider important."

"Is that why you took it upon yourself to give me a hard time?" Sakura balked.

Ino sighed in exasperation. "If I hadn't, then you wouldn't have said anything. You would have clamed up, and it would have taken nothing short of an expert torturer to pry any information out of you. And you're a horrible liar to boot," she added for good measure.

Sakura compressed her lips, but said nothing because she knew that it was true. She wasn't the type of person who could keep problems bottled up without the need to surrender to her emotions. She'd been doing that for as long as she could remember.

And she really hadn't wanted to talk about anything here to start with. Ino had needed to coax her into speaking, just as she had done years ago when the other girls' teased her. That was something else she had begun to take notice of. When something really bothered her, she withdrew into a mute-like state. Sakura wondered if her quick temper was just a reflex to cover up her insecurities. Possibly. Probably.

Ino cleared her windpipe, as if she was about to say something, withdrew her breath. It was if she was searching for a string of words she had never considered using before—and even though she had stated it, the actual implication that Ino might actually have been concerned was really just starting to hit home for Sakura. She'd thought that Ino was being inconsiderate for being so demanding, when it had really been her all this time. Sometimes, in the scheme of asking a friend for something, a person forgot that a friend wasn't just some piece in a toolbox, but someone with real feelings and ideals. For true friendship to be cemented, trust needed to be an essential component. Sakura would never have become the person she was today if she hadn't trusted Ino's words to have faith and confidence in herself. She would have to remember that.

"Hey, Ino?"

Arms crossed behind her head, Ino held her breath. "Yeah?" she replied, albeit a bit guardedly, not really sure if her friend's composure was in the high or low range.

In either case, Sakura's response was mystifying to say the least. "Thanks…for being such a pain in the ass."

More surprised then upset, Ino cocked her head, not certain how to take that response. She narrowed her eyes and issued her guest the dirtiest look she could possibly deal under these circumstances. Intimidation didn't prove to be enough to eradicate that playful looking smirk. "One good turn deserves another," she finally offered, chuckling at the lameness of her own answer and nudging Sakura's shoulder in a plucky gesture, "but you're welcome."

Something else prickled along the ceiling of Ino's brain. Now what was it—? Ah, yes. The party she was planning. Best to get that out in the open before she did something totally blonde (Ino rolled her eyes) and forgot again. "Before you get comfortable," Ino said, "I was going to ask if you would be interested in coming out tonight for a small party we're throwing for Chouji. It'll just be dinner, at a restaurant of his choosing. I was going to invite the other squads also; kind of make it into a big gathering of friends. I think he'd really like that."

Sakura nodded approvingly. "That does sound like a great idea. Not only just for Chouji, but for all the guys that just got out of the hospital. It'd be a great morale booster." She eyed Ino skeptically. "Of course, you weren't going to give me much of a choice in the decision of whether I was going or not, now, were you?"

Ino grinned prettily; her white teeth gleamed like polished silver. "You're pretty smart. What do you think?"

That figures. "Well was there anything you wanted me to do?" Sakura offered.

Ino tapped her nose absentmindedly as she pondered aloud, "Hmm…well, I was going to go meet with Asuma-sensei and Shikamaru around noon. I'd go and visit Chouji, just to confirm that he is getting out today, while the guys were going to go around and notify the others. Once I found out which restaurant he wants to eat in; we'd make the arrangements and then get everybody together. I guess if you see anybody that you know or would want to go along, be sure to let them know. We'll designate a meeting place and take it from there. 'Kay?"

"If it ever stops raining," Sakura hedged in, hoping that Ino wasn't putting to much reliance on her since she really didn't have the ambition to go on some special manhunt anytime today. Something this impromptu was better left to Ino and the rest of her team—

"Oh, and if you happen to see Naruto—which I'm sure you will—, be sure to clue him in about the get-together we're having, too, " Ino added, as if she'd tried to read her mind and wanted to antagonize her in return.

"_If _I see him," she responded in a tone that warned Ino not to get carried away again. The reply was nothing more then a reflexive fabrication. She'd already sworn to take Naruto for dinner, and no matter how bottomless his stomach was or if it cost her every last ryou she owned, she'd keep that promise. At least he'd be well fed today. A vision of a happy pup sleeping in his doghouse came to mind. Sakura giggled quietly.

"What's so funny?" Ino questioned.

"Nothing," she answered simply, then turned her head away to ignore Ino's inquisitive stare. "It's nothing."

Ino cast an eye over Sakura's head for a moment more, then shrugged. It didn't sound like it was anything to raise the drawbridge over. Settling back, Ino tugged the blanket back over her body again. Now that she was off the hook for flower duty, the idea of a catnap held a grand appeal right about now. This morning visit had turned out quite well after all. As long as Okaa-san didn't pop in to offer tea again—well, even that didn't matter.

"Sakura, you might as well have a snooze," Ino said getting comfortable herself. After all the harassment inflicted, Ino figured that her guest could do with some sleep. Sakura hadn't responded to the statement, and was thinking or else already sleeping. Either way, she took her lack of motion as an indirect yes. Shutting her eyes, Ino settled back into her fluffy pillow.

With the room blissfully quiet, save for their mingled, low breathing and the tapping of rainfall, Ino half-questioned whether it was good form to feel this relaxed, especially since Sakura actually never did finish the conversation about that dummy Naruto; unless there wasn't anything else she had left to say about him. Having inadvertently ended that discussion, she wasn't sure. The way Sakura was lying with her back turned without an expression to read didn't provide any clues either, and she was a mite reluctant to try and pursue that subject again. Lethargic too.

Ino yawned, extended her arms into the air until the joints in her elbows cracked, and dismissed the idea right there completely. She'd only get bawled out for sticking her nose in Sakura's business again. If there _were_ something else, then Sakura would have to bring up the subject willingly or else work it out in the seclusion of her thoughts.

She listened as Sakura sneezed, then turned and shifted into a different arrangement, felt forehead's eyes probing against her profile. She knew that Sakura knew that she wasn't sleeping. It was implausible but for one fleeting moment, she wondered if her thoughts had been made deciphered. Ino hunched her shoulders for unspoken confirmation, then relaxed, maintaining her silence.

Sakura flopped on to her back with a throaty growl, something to the effect of a grumpy child wanting four or five bags of candy but was only allowed to choose one bag to take home. "What am I supposed to do about him?" Sakura finally mumbled, slapping a hand against the side of the bed frame.

Ino wasn't sure whom that question was being posed to: Her, the ceiling, the almighty, or else all three simulteniously. "About who?" she asked deciding to play along.

"That idiot, Naruto. That's who," Sakura answered swiftly.

"Ah," she answered without surprise. So they _were_ back to this discussion again. For somebody who usually gets lumped in with the same disdain that poison ivy does, Naruto was being tossed up in a positive light an awful lot lately. "I still don't really understand what you're trying to ask. Could you try and be more specific? What is it that you think you need to do for him?" Before Sakura could answer, Ino presented another question. "Better yet, _why_ is it you feel you need to do anything for him anyways in the first place?"

Ino continued. "You despise Naruto, and yet at the same time, because he's on your team, I can understand you caring for him also. That's natural because you've learned how to tolerate his faults and work together. It's perfectly acceptable—Yet, you're making all of this fuss; fretting about him like he's in some mortal danger."

"I'm _not_ fretting about him," she said in a frosty tone.

"You could have fooled me," Ino retorted, turning to face her frazzled friend. "What is it about him that has you yanking the hair out by the root? Did he do something, or else say something to get you all worked up?" she carefully asked.

Sakura didn't answer, only glanced at Ino with an empty expression as if the sound of the question never reached her ears or else was beyond her means to answer. Propping herself into a sitting position, Sakura took her pillow and plunked it on her lap again, hugging it against her chest in a classic angst position. Her eyes were glued to the oak dresser sitting adjacent from them, adorned by the large, polished mirror that captured hers and Ino's reflection. "Yeah, he did say something," Sakura quietly confirmed.

Ino perched herself on one elbow. "What did he say? Was it…was it something stupid? Did he say something stupid? You want me to go over there and knock the crap out of him?"

Sakura shook her head, unable to resist smiling at Ino's rush of questions. "No, no, it wasn't anything insulting; nothing like that."

"Well, then, what? What did he say to get you this wound up?" Ino watched Sakura's expression through her reflection in the mirror saw the grin fading away. She reached up and lightly pinched Sakura's bicep. "Talk to me then, forehead. Don't go mute on me again."

Sakura bobbed her head up and down in acknowledgment, shoulders hunching as if an invisible, heavy load had been planted across her shoulders. To Ino, this sitting girl again resembled some flawed copy that didn't know how to incorporate the forthright personality that Ino had become so accustomed to squabbling with. It really did look like something popping out of memory lane. And she didn't like it one bit. Not then, even less now.

"Sakura?" Ino prodded.

The girl swallowed. "He loves me."

That hadn't been in her explanation! "What?" Ino gasped. The reply had been total reflex. She'd known whom…but still…those words…she needed the satisfaction of confirmation without any shadow of doubt in her mind. "Naruto—he told you that?

"Yeah. As a friend, but…" she tossed her hands up helplessly; the meaning behind the words rather clear.

"But it's Naruto," Ino finished, summing up the point that Sakura had started. Preemptive or not, declarations of love often carried more inextricable purpose then just the supposed simplicity that was intended to be portrayed by the person declaring them. And in Naruto's case…

It meant more.

"Can you honestly say that you're shocked by something like that," Ino said. "He adores you; enough that you told me that you'd beat him within an inch of his life if he ever said something that suggested that innuendo."

Sakura snorted. "Yeah, and I almost did one day when that brat Konohamaru—the Third's grandson—asked if I was Naruto's girlfriend. And instead of denying it like he should have, Naruto goes ahead and says, 'Oh, you kids sure catch on quick. Ho, ho, ho,'" she said doing a surprising imitation of Naruto's energetic voice. She shook her head at the memory. "Dumb ass!"

Ino smiled slightly. "Was that the difference then? Having someone else ask that and Naruto acting on the suggestion, or the fact that he just came out and actually told you using his own words?" She rubbed her nose. "Or do you just like doing impressions?"

Sakura hugged the pillow tighter. "It could have been lots of things. The atmosphere, timing, closeness, himjust being him—it doesn't matter. He knew what he was doing; what he was conveying."

"Does that upset you?" Ino asked. She seemed to enjoy asking that question.

Sakura shook her head, her chin rustling against the pillow sheet. "No, but that's the problem. I feel like I should be upset but I'm not. Just confused."

Ino frowned. "Why?"

"_Why_?" Sakura repeated. "Put yourself in my shoes for a minute. Let's just suppose that Sasuke-kun hadn't been cursed by the mark, still living in the village, and the three of you are on a simple mission. Let's pretend that Sasuke-kun went to get some food and you're sitting against a tree, the same tree that Naruto just happens to be leaning against. You're minding your own business when all of a sudden, right out of the woodwork, he leans over and says, 'I love you, Sakura-chan.' What do you do?"

Ino shrugged. "I'd probably knock him silly."

"And why would you do that?"

"Because, I'm in love with Sasuke…kun." Name and understanding spiraled and mixed together like colors, producing the answer to the question she'd asked, or at least part of it. Ino wasn't entirely convinced. That seemed _too_ logical, _too_ obvious to be the sole cause of concern. "But is that the only reason, or is there more?" Ino broadcasted the thought verbally.

"There's more, but—" Sakura, realizing that she was going to skip around the subject at hand again, forced herself to stop in mid-sentence. She took a breath, held it while sweeping hair behind her ears, exhaled slowly and deeply. "I've hated Naruto…for as long as I can possibly remember," she said in a surprisingly rational tone. "I totally hated him for getting in my way, interfering with all my hopes, my dreams, my fantasies, everything. I was always convinced that he was nothing but a wannabe ninja. A loser that would never amount to anything, no matter what effort he put in. The one reason, the _only_ reason, why I even tolerated him to begin with was because of Sasuke-kun."

Ino didn't bat an eyebrow. This wasn't exactly new information to her.

"On missions, there were always two things that I'd come to accept would always be unchangeable: Everything that Sasuke-kun did was always right, and Naruto always did everything wrong. Sasuke-kun would always use his brains, but Naruto, he would just plow right through everything with total brawn. I always criticized him for being reckless. I took pleasure in that because to me, it just meant that Sasuke-kun was all the more superior, and taking his side in those matters was the right thing. Sure, there were a couple times that Naruto came through, sure, but I always thought of those as lucky breaks. It didn't change a thing. I'd hoped that as long as I'd kept favor with Sasuke-kun, he'd turn around one day and acknowledge me."

In the mirror, Ino could clearly see Sakura smiling, but it was one without humor. "That's would everybody wanted, forehead. _At least you_ were in his group," she said.

Sakura shrugged off the comment. "But he never really did. He only considered me as bad as Naruto, weaker even; because I had no actual skills, save for the basics we were taught. It was hard to hear him say something like that. It forced me to question if I was ever really cut out to be a ninja to begin with. I lost some confidence. It was to the point…where I wasn't sure if I was going to enter the Chuunin exam or not."

"But if you hadn't—" Ino started.

Sakura nodded. "I didn't want to let them down, didn't want to let myself down mostly. I wouldn't have had the right to call myself a kunoichi if I'd backed out then. I had to see what I was made of, needed to know just who I was."

Ino folded her arms loosely. "I'd say you made out alright. You and Sasuke-kun were the ones that bailed _us_ out, remember?"

Sakura frowned over her shoulder. "No. It was Sasuke-kun and Lee-san who did that. Out of all the times that they protected me, I wanted to be the one to protect them, at least just that once."

"That's good and all," Ino said, sounding a little impatient. "But you're starting to get off subject. Where does Naruto fit into all of this?"

Sakura pondered that a moment. Finally, she said, "Would you have ever pictured him getting as far as he did in the exam? For example: Would you have ever thought he could defeat somebody of Hyuga Neji's caliber? A person who's ranked in the same category as Sasuke-kun?"

Ino shook her head. "No, and neither would you."

Sakura nodded in accordance with Ino's phrase. "But I had faith, which was something I never had with him in the start. I think part of the reason why I despised him so much was because he first struck me as the type of person who would give up at the drop of a hat when the going got tough. I held on to that mentality, even relished it at during the numerous times that he failed, because that just proved the fact that Sasuke-kun would always be better, and I was making the right choice by being behind him; one hundred percent of the way."

Her voice softened. "But Naruto kept trying, much to my surprise and expectations. In moments where even Sasuke-kun thought the situation to be hopeless, Naruto would push through and try to overcome the odds. I thought he was just boasting, but it wasn't until later when I found out that Naruto saved us from Gaara that I realized that all the things he did—whether he succeeded or failed—was because he was only trying to discover his own self-worth. He was just like me…and succeeding at a furious rate. He surpassed me, and was even surpassing Sasuke-kun. And yet…there's just some old part in me that still resents him. Not because of whom he was…but what he's become."

Ino heard the tremor in Sakura's voice, knew that this next twist in her explanation would be of some significance. "Why is that?" Ino gently prodded.

Sakura sank her fingernails into her arms to squelch the nervous tremors in her hands. "I resent Naruto… because I always thought that I'd have to be one who would teach him how to be a ninja, but all this time…it was really Naruto who's been the teacher. He's become someone I can completely rely on without hesitation—"

"But you're repugnant that he can't do the same with you," Ino broke in saving them both from another extensive explanation and cutting to the chase. "Hypocrisy doesn't sit well with you is what you're saying."

Sakura rubbed the back of her head, clearly showing discomfort at the brusque response. "Okay, fine. It does bother me," she angrily announced, tiring of her drawn out ineptitude to pierce the lining of the subject. How many more possible times would she have to enter this acquainted, murky territory without the fear of being stung by old hornets?

"Why can't he just hate me like a normal person would?" Sakura asked Ino. "Why does he have to be that stupid and care so much? Doesn't Naruto understand how much it hurts to know that he cares about me, and that I can't acknowledge that kind of gratitude?" Despair and frustration stabbed at her and she almost wanted to cry again.

Between her teeth, Ino hissed out a quiet sigh. "If he did hate you, would that make you happy?" she stoutly ventured.

The reply was quick. "No, but it would certainly make me feel better. I wouldn't have to feel so guilty."

Ino thought that one out a bit. "Did you ever stop to think that maybe you're making more of an issue out of this then it really needs to be? That there's nothing to really feel guilty about?"

Sakura frowned at the mirror. "What's that suppose to mean?"

Ino rolled her eyes. "Think about it, forehead. You said that he was trying to find himself, his own means of self-worth. He wants to be Hokage so that he can be acknowledged, but that can be defined in different ways. Recognition often begins with the people closest to you. Naruto probably wanted _you_ to acknowledge him, just like you wanted with Sasuke-kun. There's more to a dream then just the dream itself."

Ino's reasoning was like a tranquilizer; settling some of Sakura's ambivalence that had threatened to boil over again. "That still doesn't make the situation right, but I suppose you have a point," Sakura said, grudgingly yielding.

"But it does provide insight," Ino defended, but she could that Sakura was still a ways from being pacified. This conflict was starting to inspire a possible theory. That forehead of hers wasn't designed wide to hold that enormous brain of hers; it was designed to be impenetrable like a massive castle. The only reason why Sakura was so smart to begin with was because she had super heightened senses to suck up all the knowledge. Yes! That had to be it. Any information absorbed was forever sealed in that cranium of hers. No wonder Sakura could never be reasoned with.

Then again, who was she to talk? Perturbed by this turn of events, she resumed the matter at hand, asking, "I still don't get you, forehead. Besides the love matter, what is about this that aggravates you so much?" Ino demanded. "We've talked about everything under the sun except the sun itself. Simplify this for me: No long explanations, no circling, no lists, no charts, and no diagrams. In short: pierce the heart of the matter with a kunai already." She reached forward and touched Sakura's shoulder assuredly to let her know she wasn't impatient. "Tell me."

Sakura relaxed, as if expecting this question for some time now. Explanation had been necessary, but not to the incredible heights she'd gone. She didn't turn but looked straight into the eyes of Ino's mirror image. "Because…I know how much it hurts to confess that you love someone and not have it returned," she answered, quietly and purposely. That example was the hardest to admit.

That sentence, the familiarity behind those words stimulated a long-since suppressed feeling of childish dithering. Very rarely did it occur but when it did, Ino's mind regressed to that key moment she'd chosen to lay eyes upon that tearful, solitary little girl who had all but given up on the world. She'd been intrigued by the girl, wondered how somebody so pretty and smart could take such heart in comments made by a jealous bunch of bimbos. All she needed to have was just a little courage, just a morsel of faith to give her wings. She decided that she would help the girl. After all, she wasn't any sort of threat in her quest for Sasuke's affections.

And then one day, that bright-haired little girl, who had began to flourish through her own support, ran up to her and the rest of the girls and excitedly announced the existence of a mysterious dark-haired boy she thought was rather cute. The secret was really no secret at all. Every girl in the village had been vying for the attention of Uchiha Sasuke.

The only problem was that Ino was also one of those girls.

She'd tried to contradict it, stating that Sasuke was too brash and self-egotistical for her own taste. Ino had spun that story to several girls, including Sakura, to help keep her intentions hidden so that she pursue him in secret while gaining information on Sasuke's preferences. Her biggest mistake was confessing to one particularly determined girl who couldn't believe that there was one person who wasn't crushing on the biggest heartthrob around. Whether it was to tell the truth or just to get the girl off of her back, she'd had a ugly feeling that Sakura was going to find out about it, resulting with a confrontation and probably ending with Sakura turning on the waterworks. She'd contemplated ways how to tell Sakura the truth right up to the moment they'd had their inevitable conversation. Upon announcing that they were now rivals, Ino had been shocked to see how much this once shaggy looking girl had changed over the short period of time. The development of her inner strength to stand and pursue her own goals was a remarkable feat. And all because she had needed a little bravery to stand on her own two feet. Bravery that Ino hadn't possessed at the time…

In scarce moments like these, Ino wondered what would have happened if she done things a little differently. For example, if she'd sought after Sasuke sooner then allowing Sakura to have her leeway. If she'd been more honest and upfront, would Sakura have developed into the strong-willed person she was now? If she'd been able to see into the future and had known how things were to have progressed, would she have taken the time to help that troubled girl mend her broken feelings, or would she have teased and ignored her like every other girl had up until that point. How would Sakura have turned out without someone being willing to understand her? That last question was the most heart wrenching and despairing of all. She hated to think, did not want to think what might have resulted because the truth was—

Ino permitted a small, relieving smile. The truth was that she didn't have to think about any of that nonsense. Sakura possessed far more valor within then she could ever manage. And as far as it concerned, she'd done the right thing then. She'd rather know this Sakura; the one she could have spats with and be guaranteed a fight in each and every event then some weeping shell of a girl covered in bubble gum. Forehead had it made under the sun if all problems such as this one were so easy to solve. She was just a little ragged worn and wrapped up a little to tightly in her web of uneasiness to see the obvious solutions. Well, she'd fix all of that in a hurry! And _speaking_ of which…

"Aw, Sakura, you're just _too_ cute!" Ino suddenly squealed in her best excited-schoolgirl/bubbly pitch. Before Sakura even knew what was happening, Ino lunged forward and quickly wrapped her arms around Sakura's neck in the same playful manner she'd done to Sasuke before the exams had started. If her intent had been to pull Sakura out of her despondent stupor, the resulting shock-like expression on Sakura's face was probably proof enough that she had succeeded.

Confused and slow to react by this way-out-of-place display, Sakura sputtered, "I-Ino—w-what the hell are you doing?"

Ino grinned wolfishly, ignored the question. "My precious little cherry blossom doesn't know how to deal with all of these difficult pulls of the heart, so she has to come running over to big sis, her _Onee-chan_, for support and guidance. That's _soo_ sweet. My little _Sakura-chan_ is growing up." Playfully giggling, Ino proceeded to pinch Sakura's cheeks for supplementary effect.

"I'm _grawna_ throttle _yu_," Sakura threatened, her arms flailing wildly in her attempt to shove Ino away while trying to make words. It was difficult to tell if the threat was real or just comical.

Nimbly avoiding her fierce swinging fists, Ino continued to laugh brightly. "Now, now," she chided, slipping into the role of a parent without apparent difficulty. "Little girls shouldn't be trying to hit their elders when they're only trying to help. After all, it's not their fault if children can't accept the advice given with proper grace."

Sakura growled, managed to get a fist up over Ino's defenses, but in a swift transfer of movement, Ino released Sakura's cheek and deftly caught the offending hand, holding it at Sakura's side. Ino then grabbed Sakura's other hand and did the same. "But, then again—"

Chakra and adrenaline rising, Sakura bellowed, "Ino, I'll—!"

"—You're not a little girl anymore, _either,_" Ino stringently concluded, all childish antics gone. Knowing that she would finally listen, Ino released Sakura's hands, tenderly took hold of her wrists instead.

"You've come _a long_ ways from the shy little imp you were once. But, even though you've evolved, you've also still retained that annoying habit of making something out of absolutely nothing! You still feel you need to take every little inconsequential factor and process it down to the very last point of a percent—that's probably why you graduated with the highest marks in the academy."

Under that scrutinizing observation, Sakura bristled but said nothing, knowing that she was right. It was just who she was.

"Don't get me wrong," Ino defended, "I'm not trying to make it into a bad thing or anything. If I had half that ambition and stopped gossiping with the customers so much, I'd probably be hitting the books and soaking up every last bit of knowledge I could. I guess I just like associating with people in general. In comparison, that's probably what separates us."

Sakura scowled. "I don't understand what you're getting at. Are you saying that I shouldn't be studying so much; that I shouldn't memorize details that might affect or save somebody's life someday? Is that what you're driving at because if so, you're wasting both our time."

Seeing how poorly this conversation was starting to turn, Ino resumed the subject at hand. "You came here to talk about Naruto. Why?"

"I don't see what the point—?"

"Answer the question, Sakura, or else get lost and quit wasting my time already!" Ino sharply growled, her patience wearing thin by this debacle.

Sakura glared at the mirror. "Naruto said he loves me, and I don't know how to respond to that," she answered flippantly. "Happy?"

"No. You want to know what I think the problem is? I think the real reason why it bothers you so much is because you're frightened! You're scared that if you turn around and start giving Naruto the time of the day, it'll numb and help you to forget some of the hurt that Sasuke-kun caused while relieving some of this 'so-called' guilt you _think you have_ for ignoring Naruto! Well, here's a news flash, Sakura: Naruto's not exactly the kind of person you can just flat-out ignore and expect to take the hint. Of all people, you should know that!"

"So what?" Sakura asked angrily, spiteful that Ino had hit so close to the marker. It was like a rehashing of the mental soliloquy that she and her other personality had bickered over, and had almost convinced Sakura that she was loosing her mind. "Is there something wrong with having regrets?"

Ino shook her head. "Only if they're for the wrong reasons. And in your case, that's hyperbole. Do you really believe Naruto carries baggage about getting to know the people around him, despite being shot down?"

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, closed it, and then started to think—even though it wasn't necessary. About the way he tried to pick fights with Sasuke-kun, begged Kakashi-sensei to teach him new jutsu, always asking to take her on a date, getting a punch on the noggin, and that enthusiastic, determined grin that both infuriated and, other times, had her heart racing with courage; convincing her that victory was but a stone throw away.

"_It's the promise of a lifetime, Sakura-chan!_"

"No," she said looking down, unable to meet Ino's penetrating eyes. "That's not the kind of person he is."

"Of course he's not." Ino replied earnestly. Releasing her wrists, she placed her hands on Sakura's cheeks again and gently eased her chin up so that she was looking at the mirror again. "I'm certain Naruto doesn't live his life based on every nasty word ever said to him. If he did, he probably would have given up a long time ago—Just like you might have," Ino said, lightly tapping on Sakura's forehead as a crucial reminder.

"This is hardly the same situation," Sakura meekly protested.

Ino agreed. "I know that. All I'm saying is that you needn't make a scene out of something that really isn't to begin with. Naruto saying something unconditional like that is probably just to make you understand that he cares, and that you can count on him in any tough situation. Just like you could at any other time, right?"

Sakura nodded slowly. "Well…yes, but…still, I—"

Ino smiled knowingly. "But in that same instance, you also want to do something for him in return, but without trying to be overbearing, either. Yes?"

"It's not just that. And you had better quit putting words in my mouth, or else I'll put my fist in yours, piggy." Sakura warned.

"Oooh." Ino's grin got wider. "Someone sounds cheerful again."

Sakura ignored Ino completely. "Last night—there was something bugging him," she said. "Naruto was having these dreams, and not very pleasant ones from the way he was shaking. He looked really disturbed, almost as if he was fighting with something or someone—and loosing."

Ino cocked her head casually. "Everyone has nightmares, Sakura."

Sakura made a face. "Yes, I know that, but he was really thrashing. If this was a common occurrence, then I wouldn't be all that concerned about it. But he was getting into a real fit—did that twice—and I had to step in both times. Otherwise he probably would have plummeted to the floor. That doesn't strike me as normal Uzumaki Naruto behavior."

Ino raised an eyebrow, as if to ask a question; she then shrugged, the corner of her mouth twitching. "Something to do with Sasuke-kun, maybe?" she suggested.

"That's a possibility," Sakura said. "I—I asked him last night—this morning, sorry—but he wouldn't say. But then being almost three in the morning, I wasn't going to make an issue over it, either. But maybe now that he's gotten some sleep, maybe he'd be willing to…talk about it. "

Catching the guilty pause between her words, Ino almost felt compelled to give Sakura another pinch on the cheek for being such a drama queen. Evidently, there was something else going on upstairs with Sakura, something that, despite any snoopy urge to pry, she could only resolve with that knucklehead Naruto. A third party could only do so much. Especially when it seemed like exposed little tidbits had been purposely omitted from earlier. She would have to deal with these problems at her own pacing.

Shuffling her feet slightly, Sakura coughed. "…So, uh, what do you, um, think is the best way—how do you think I should go about doing this?" she mumbled, clearly despondent that she actually felt the seeming need to plot out a conversation. Asking for Ino's opinion wasn't making that fact any easier.

"Well…for starters, you might want to remind yourself that you're not going on a blind date. That could help," Ino dryly replied, clearly reaching that same conclusion. "You're pretty coordinated in the kitchen. Why not bake him something to express a bit of appreciation?" she suggested. "Coming from you, Naruto would probably really like that."

Sakura licked her lips. Now _that_ was an idea. It wouldn't have been the first occasion she'd made/shared something for him. Not only would it be a good way to make up for last night and the past couple days; it might be just the ticket she needed for him to speak up—around a mouthful of food of course.

"_**Way to use your brain instead of that extra large snout, porker!**_" Inner Sakura crowed.

"I don't know," she said, becoming downhearted again. "As far as baking goes, I'm not sure if I like the idea of trying to compete with Naruto's landlady in that department. I made the mistake of trying a piece of cake she made for him. Probably the best I've ever had in my opinion. Way better then anything I could ever make."

Ino rested her chin on Sakura's shoulder. "That's ridiculous. Anything you prepared for him—even if it ended up burnt or uncooked—he'd still probably tell you that it was the best thing he's ever had."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Gee, _thanks_!" she retorted. Even she wasn't _that_ lousy when it came to cooking.

"But, anyways, you have that," Ino said, moving the conversation along. "Remember that you're also going over there to tell him that we're all meeting tonight at a restaurant of Chouji's choosing. Unless Asuma-sensei decides to pay for it all, I'm just going to assume that everybody will be paying for there own meal, so be sure to bring money."

Having heard of Chouji's restaurant fiasco, Sakura nodded, not quite managing to suppress a smile. "Fine."

"Good. In the meantime…" Ino started to say, becoming serious again, "don't try and be showy and put on some kind of mask. Just talk and act like you normally would; be friendly. Naruto will be on his guard if you confuse him. And then he won't know how to act around you, and that'll just make everything awkward. You don't need to change the world all in one day. All you have to do is be yourself and things will work out like they should in the end. Baby steps. All right?"

Sakura grimaced, but there was a certain ring of truth surrounding Ino's point. If she acted like she was out of place, Naruto might get the wrong picture and assume that there was something wrong with her. Another blatant stupid impression of herself that she didn't needed to give off. "Act like myself…got it," Sakura said aloud as if to get all her ducts in a row.

Ino nodded, then grinned. "But maybe before you go kicking his door down, you might want to try acting like a _girl_ and freshen up a bit. Hot shower, for starters?" Ino advised, sliding a few strings of pink hair and folding them behind Sakura's ears.

Sakura brushed the fussing hands away. "Of course I'm going to shower! Besides putting up with you, I have other things I need to get done as well."

"That so?" Ino released Sakura and slid her body backwards, yawning lazily. "So what else is on the morning agenda. Who else, besides me, did you have to bother?"

"Oh, just Tsunade-sama, the Fifth Hokage."

Ino sucked the last of her yawn back in surprise. "The Hokage?" she blurted out in surprise. "What do you need to ask her?" Ino pried trying not to appear more anxious then she was feeling and doing a rather poor job.

Sakura shot her an I-know-something-you-don't look. "Wouldn't _you_ like to know?"

Ino appeared to think about it, then smirked, shook her head. "If you're gonna go crying to her about something, I doubt she'll be this patient with you."

"No. This will be an entirely different matter altogether," Sakura said solemnly as she stood up, a different sort of nervousness carved on her face, almost as if she was preparing to sign her life away.

"At least give me a hint!" Ino admonished, flinging pretense aside. "You owe me that much."

Sakura turned and clasped her hands behind her back, smiled slightly. "I'm going to ask her to train me, in medical jutsu," she conceded."

Ino blinked in stunned confusion. Every time she thought she had a grasp on forehead-girl's situation, she kept coming up with new ways to surprise her. "Sorry, I'm not to sure I heard you right. I could have sworn you just said—"

"—Exactly what you heard," Sakura said, cutting her off. "I want her to take me on as an apprentice."

Several explanations, each one plausible in its own right, seemed to jump up all at once. "How come?" Ino asked, deciding to take the blunt approach while secretly intrigued.

Sakura rubbed her arms. "Because I need to. I mean, let's face it. What good am I to a squad if I can't be someone they can depend on? There's going to be times where I won't have anyone to rely on except myself, and my own abilities. Rudimentary jutsu isn't always going to stop an enemy in its tracks, or from killing somebody precious to me," Sakura spoke with heavy disappointment.

Ino mechanically nodded, having an instant idea of where Sakura's frustration was deriving from. Aside from chakra control and brainpower, the Haruno family didn't seem to have any actual special clan secrets—none that she, nor Sakura, had been made aware of anyways. Based on her mental capabilities, Ino knew that Sakura had some talent in the genjutsu department. She was good in a fight and knew how to use the terrain to her advantage, but aside from smarts' she possessed no trademark skill to complement those areas, either. Medical jutsu, though, sounded like the perfect field for somebody with Sakura's caliber. "The Godaime won't make it easy for you," Ino warned. "From what I've heard, she has quite the temper."

Sakura wasn't deterred. "I don't care. I'm not doing this to be babied or pampered. I already know what my limits are. Now I need someone to help me break through those limits. I want to know what I'm capable of; what Haruno Sakura is capable of accomplishing."

"Is this also because of Naruto?" Ino questioned with an amused but encouraging smile. She wasn't about to forget the turmoil in that much debated topic.

Sakura made a mewling noise, but held her ground. "If you _must_ know, then yes, he's part of the reason," she answered. There was a subtle salmon-colored flush in her cheeks, but she wouldn't be cajoled into any further discussion on that subject.

"Hmm. You really think she'll take you on as a student?" Ino asked, still not quite sold on the idea, and confused as to why she needed to be sold on anything to begin with. It wasn't going to be her arm in the sling.

Sakura shrugged. "If necessary, I'll get the results off of every last test I ever wrote in the academy and dump them all in her lap. I'll even drag Iruka-sensei along to vouch for me if I have to. Either way, I won't leave her office until she agrees to train me or else I get dragged out of there by force. I just hope it won't have to come that," she said meekly. A sudden knot of worry looped and tightened itself in her diaphragm, as if suddenly remembering just _whom_ this request was being made to.

Noticing the change in her composure, Ino spoke encouragingly, "I don't think all of that'll be really necessary. Even for someone of her stature, I'm pretty sure she's had her share of doubts just like the rest of us do. Same thing you're doing with Naruto; just be honest about what it is you want and the rest of it will fall into place."

Those words extinguished some of the anxiety. "I know," Sakura said, offering a thankful smile.

Ino chuckled. "Stop worrying so much, forehead! How many more times do I have to tell you that? Loosen up already!" she scolded, shaking a finger at her. "Geez. You're wound up tighter then a cheap clock."

Sakura rubbed indentation above her nose. "Yeah, well, what can I say? Self-induced lack of sleep gets a person kind of edgy."

"Not to mention surly as an old bear," Ino added in good humor. "You might want to show some prudence before you ask for anything from the Hokage. Getting verbal with her wouldn't be a good way to start things off."

Sakura smiled thinly. "I'll be okay. I've probably blown off enough steam to outdo a kettle. I'm actually really looking forward to having a meeting with her." She giggled nervously. "Hope she doesn't give me a hard time."

"Yeah," Ino said as she studied Sakura's stance, noted how she was rocking herself by lifting one foot slightly and balancing all her body weight on the other before repeating the same thing with the other foot, doing this every second or two. To Ino, this new, unusual habit that Sakura had picked out was an indication that she was more apprehensive then she was letting on and her nerves were shot, or else she was severely fatigued and the toll of it was affecting her mental decisions. Surely this could wait for a couple hours…"What time were you going to go see her?" Ino asked.

"Pretty quick," she answered. "I'll need to go home and shower before I do anything. I can't be seen looking like an old dishrag."

"Yeah…that's for sure," Ino commented blandly, then shifted over to the main focus of her concern. "You know—if hiding your tracks is really a priority for you and you're really not feeling up to all that, I can go and talk to your mother, and you could always get a couple hours of sleep here…that's if you wanted."

Sakura lurched back as if she had been physically struck. "Sorry," she apologized for the antic, "but…hmm…I could have, well, maybe I'm wrong, but it sounded like you were trying to cut me a break. Nah. It must have been just the wax in my ears…" she said, eyes fixed in false concentration as she tapped her ears. Sakura smiled inwardly as her peripheral vision caught a well-earned frown that was deepening rather quickly.

"You rotten little—cutting you a break is the only thing I've been doing all morning!" Ino tartly reminded her. "If I hadn't I would have just locked the window and let you freeze out in the rain like a little rat. And since I know that you know," she exclaimed, stabbing a finger in her direction, "don't think for one second that I haven't figured out that you're only doing this out of spite just to try and get back at me for giving you a hard time, forehead!"

"Oh." Shrugging nonchalantly, Sakura twiddled her thumbs behind her back, her relaxed expression made reading her intentions practically impossible. "Is it working?"

"You'll find out pretty quick, after you've found your face smeared in lipstick," Ino informed her, quickly raising her hands into _correct_ position for the '_shintenshin technique.' _Even though she had absolutely no intention of using the trademark skill—and it still wouldn't have worked anyways—it was enough to motivate Sakura into stepping forward and prying Ino's hands apart…

…And also frown at the sight of Ino making a clown-like face with her tongue extended out as far as bodily possible. "Nah, nah, nah. Psyche!" Ino teased.

Both annoyed and amused, Sakura shook her head and dropped Ino's hands. "You're a complete dork."

Ino grinned. "And your attempt at practical jokes is pathetic so I think it balances itself out, don't you?" she said, not disappointed at receiving an answer as she stood up. She hadn't been expecting one.

"Anyways," Ino went on as she turned to walk towards her closet, "you'd best be on your way then if you are going to go and get things done. I certainly won't try and stop you, but you had better take along a rain jacket before you head out into that," she said, thumbing towards the window. Sliding the doors apart, Ino reached in and dug out a large coat with a hood. "Here," she said, tossing the item at Sakura. "This should do, and I've also got an umbrella downstairs that you can use—_better_ use. Otherwise your mom would never forgive me." She took another look at Sakura. "I'd also better give you a sweater too. You're lucky that you were wearing the blanket and Okaa-san wasn't looking very closely, or she might have noticed how wet and wrinkled your blouse is—or was, and might have asked more questions." Ino picked out a suitably warm shirt and also tossed it over.

Sakura studied the garment. "You're kicking me out?"

Ino laughed in surprise, turned her hands up in disregard. "Unless you have something else you needed to get off your chest, then yes. As much as I enjoy listening to the problems that revolve around your love life—and I really do, I also have things of my own that I need to get done as well."

So it _was_ a dismissal, and a quick glance at a small clock sitting on a dresser similar to the one at Naruto's explained further. "Quarter to seven…" she murmured in admiration. "I've been here for an hour already?"

Ino looked. "Well…not quite. Probably just under that by ten minutes or so, but yes; that would be close enough. Time certainly flies when you're having fun, huh?" Ino said, smiling.

"Fun for who?" Sakura asked while walking over to retrieve her drying sandals by the window. "It certainly wasn't me!" Her voice muffled by the extra top that she was fitting over her neck.

"Oh, I'd say that I thoroughly enjoyed this visit," Ino confirmed smugly. "It's not every day that the great scholar _Haruno Sakura _meets a problem that she can't solve on her own, and _over a boy_ no less." She sighed dramatically. "How the mighty have fallen."

Sakura growled as she pulled the sleeves down, but refused to take the lure like a gullible fool again. She could continue to insist that there was nothing going on between herself and Naruto until she was blue in the face and it still wouldn't make a difference. Eccentric people were like perched stones: All it took was just one little nudge in the right direction and, unless you're somehow faster or made prior arrangements to detour or deflect, there was just no stopping the momentum. Whatever. Let her believe whatever she wants to. All she knew—and Ino knew this as well—was that if any part of this conversation ever leaked out of the room, Sasuke-kun wouldn't be the only one being declared MIA…

"I trust you'll keep this to yourself?" Sakura said. The words were soft but there was a notable edge of warning in her eyes.

Ino nodded. "I wouldn't be much of a friend if I didn't. And I'd expect just as much courtesy from you if I was in your shoes, too."

"Which you would," Sakura added.

Ino smirked. "You damn rights I would."

Sakura relaxed. She knew that she could trust Ino. "I know. But, seriously, thank you for listening, and helping me out. I appreciate it." She smiled. "Really."

Ino, surprisingly, didn't smile back. "You've already thanked me," she reminded her. "As for appreciation, you can show it by not keeping me in the dark the next time around. You pull a stunt like this or make me worry like you did ever again, and I won't give you the luxury of fainting next time."

Sakura bit her lip. "That was a double knock out," she reminded.

"Doesn't matter," she said. "You should never be afraid to turn to your friends if something's bugging you. I hope you'll keep that in mind in the future. You don't and you'll deserve whatever figment of imagination, or petty delusion that solitude happens to punish you with."

"_**May such suffering bring you such delicious bittersweet sorrow**_," Inner Ino howled ravenously.

Sakura huffed. "Thanks for making me feel jittery all over again," she pouted, smacking the side of the sandals against her hip. "I was _just_ getting it under control."

Looking almost apologetic, Ino walked up to Sakura and slung her arm around the girl's slumped shoulders. "Sorry, but you're not the only one who needed to get a couple things off their chest," she admitted. "You can stay if you really want to…and since we're on the subject of boys, there was something I've _really been_ meaning to ask you."

"Forget it!" Sakura said, having fallen for that phrase already.

"It's really important!" Ino declared.

"I've heard that before," Sakura replied. "Now let go."

"It's _really_ important," she repeated. "Pretty please."

Fighting to keep her patience, which was near spent, in check, and guessing that Ino was going to settle the childish demand through extortion sooner or later, Sakura figured she might as well play along. "Fine. What is it?" she said sharply.

Ino leaned in next to her ear and, in a conspiratorially manner, whispered, "Tell me something, Sakura. You're the one who would possibly know. Does Sasuke-kun ever take his shirt off when he sleeps? Like, have you seen him with his shirt off—_ever_? 'Cause it might explain these interesting dreams I've been having lately and…" The words fell on disregarding ears. Sakura left the room before Ino could finish, muttering something along the lines of '_just keep on dreaming, porker_'.

Realizing that she was beaming like a hungry shark, Ino quickly chased after Sakura who already had a nice pace going. "It was a legitimate question!" she protested. "And I was only kidding—I haven't had a dream of Sasuke-kun not wearing a shirt for almost two weeks now! Really, it's been nearly two whole weeks!"

Sakura stopped in the hallway, turned and faced Ino with an incredulous look. "You wanna know what I think? I think that talking to Tsunade-sama is going to be a breeze considering the pain in the ass that you've been. Seriously."

Ino pantomimed wounded pride. "That hurts. I thought we made fantastic progress. And on the plus side, you're not nervous anymore now, are you?" she said, tilting her head fractionally.

Sakura groaned, but she had to admit that the piggy was right about that. Leave it up to Ino to get things under way, as well as enjoy the bonus of satisfactory glee. The bitch. Well, her time would come eventually. Sakura's mood lightened at that encouraging thought. "Well," she said, turning to go, "if there's anything I can ever do for you—"

Following behind her, Ino said, "Actually, there is something that you _could_ do for me." Something in her tone seemed to signify that the request was important…and Sakura _had_ promised.

"What is it?" Sakura asked, promising that she _was_ going to belt Ino if this was just going to be another stupid joke. "And this had better be something important, too, and not another stupid question about Sasuke-kun's dress habits." It took her a moment to realize that Ino wasn't following her anymore. Even from the short distance apart, Sakura could tell that the girl was somewhat nervous. "Ino?" she asked again.

"If…Tsunade-sama takes you on and things go well, do you think that—could you put in a good word for me?"

"Huh?" Sakura hadn't been expecting that at all.

Ino waved her hand. "I mean—I don't want you to ask on my behalf. I'll talk to her myself, but I'm just saying that when I do, if you could back me up, I'd really appreciate it. I never had the most outstanding grades in the academy but I'll make up for it through absolute determination and dedication," she said, knowing that she was prattling away.

Sakura glanced at her suspiciously. "Why is this suddenly important to you? Would you be doing it just because you want to show me up, or is it something else?" she pointedly demanded.

Ino sighed. "I'm borrowing the idea, yes. As for showing you up, that isn't the case at all. Even with some of the modifications I've made to my techniques, I've started to reach the limits in my repertoire. What good is a magic trick if the audience already knows how it's done? And besides," she added softly, "you're not the only who feels like they need to improve."

Sakura nibbled on the corner of her lip; whatever Ino's reasons were, she wasn't going to debate her about them…and yes, she had promised. "You'll have to talk to her yourself," she finally stirred, "but let's see how things go on my part for a while. Give it a week or so, then ask. As for a reference, then yes, I'd be willing to help you out there. That is"—her lips shifted into a measured, cool smile, "—as long as you're willing to address me as Sempai."

Ino responded by sputtering—rather comically in Sakura's opinion. "Don't get so high and mighty on yourself just yet, Sakura!" Ino advised her crossly. "You still have to ask yourself."

"Of course I do," she replied without derailment, "but just who do you think is going to be the one helping _you_ review when the Hokage, and perhaps Shizune-san, might be busy and won't have the time to do any teaching, hmmm, Ino-pig?" she leaned forward at that last bit, empathizing her name sweetly.

"You'd just _love that_, wouldn't you?" Ino said, the sentence dripping with sarcasm. Still she wasn't arrogant enough to know that she couldn't do something like this and not need Sakura's help. Truth be told, Ino figured that she would probably need to put in at least twice the effort that Sakura would in order to carry her weight. She was willing to put in whatever time was needed. All of it if necessary; personal pride demanded that she wouldn't allow Sakura to best her without a fight on her behalf.

"Eventually you'd get used to it," Sakura smilingly reassured as she turned away.

"Keep on wishing," Ino whispered, finishing with a snort. She didn't say anything else though as she followed her downstairs into the main area. Walking into the shop, Ino noticed several upon several various species of wrapped flowers carefully spread out around the counter top and occupying a good portion of the floor. Varying wild scents blended and overlapped with one another. Clearly the deliveryman had been here and gone already. Now the flowers needed to be sorted accordingly and arranged before they opened the shop for the day. As Ino had expected, her mother was bustling back and forth setting expensive, but gorgeous looking orchids in several cooling units, while her father was picking them out, settling them in a vases and, basically, getting them ready for the customers. At least they were, until she and Sakura walked in.

"Good morning, Sakura," Ino's father cheerfully offered without skipping a beat of work. "How are you on this fine day?"

Sakura chuckled. "Good morning to you too, Mr. Yamanaka," she politely returned the greeting with a friendly bow. "I'm doing great."

"_She must just turn on the politeness with some kind of button or something,_" Ino insistently commented to herself.

He looked relived. "Well that's great to hear. Because these two"—he pointed two fingers simulteniously at mother and daughter—"were starting to drive me crazy over how worried they were about you."

Mrs. Yamanaka pretended not to listen, but Ino glared at her father. "Otoo-san!" she cried out in an embarrassed tone. "You weren't supposed to say anything!"

Sakura smiled. "I've already been given the gears from Ino, Mr. Yamanaka. I apologize for the grief I've given, as well as the grief she's caused you in return," she said, easily ignoring the transferred look of annoyance from Ino.

"Oh! Are you leaving, Sakura?" Mrs. Yamanaka asked, catching the subliminal hint that she was departing.

Sakura sadly nodded. "Ino's kicking me out—Actually, there's a couple things I need to do this morning," she quickly explained before any more unnecessary complaints from Ino were issued.

"Are you sure, Sakura?" Mrs. Yamanaka asked, throwing a warning glance at Ino who shrugged in turn. "If you'd like to wait for ten minutes, I was just about to prepare breakfast. You're more then welcome to join us."

"That's very kind of you to offer, but I really should be going," Sakura declined politely as she slipped the coat on. "Thank you very much for your generosity and patience. I also apologize that I detained Ino when you needed her help."

Both parents smiled in union. The two of them had taken an instant shine to Sakura the moment Ino had made introductions. Besides admiring the polite dignity she always carried in front of them, Sakura's attributed rise in self-confidence made for a powerful rivalry between her and their daughter…and banded an even stronger friendship. "Well, don't you be worrying about these young boys and their crazy notions of what they think they want out of life," Mr. Yamanaka commented with a grunt. "As far as I'm concerned, that Uchiha boy must be crazy to ignore such a spirited young beauty like you," he spoke without reserve.

Ino gasped. Sakura blushed furiously, wondered just how much Ino had said. "T-thank you, sir."

It was Mrs. Yamanaka who spoke up this time. "Inoichi—stop embarrassing Sakura," she reprimanded him for his candid words. She turned her gaze towards their flustered guest. "She doesn't need to be reminded of all of that. Please be sure that you take an umbrella by the door before you leave, Sakura, so that you don't catch a bug. Summer colds are the worst to get rid of."

After a few more pleasantries Sakura said her good-byes and was walking to the door, when Ino caught her arm. "Don't go yet. Just hold on a sec'." She walked back up to her mother—who, along with her husband, had gone back to sorting the stock—and whispered something in her ear. The older woman whispered something back, nodded almost imperceptibly towards the refrigerator. Ino patted the woman's shoulder in thanks, walked over to the unit and gazed along the shelves until she found what she was looking for. Carefully taking out a singly wrapped flower, she made her way back to Sakura who was standing by the door, patiently waiting in Ino's raincoat with her sandals on, an umbrella already in hand. Ino's parents had gone back to work. Grinning as if she was about to tell a particularly funny joke, Ino handed the bright flower over to Sakura.

Sakura studied the familiar looking plant. "This is—"

"—It's for good luck." Ino said simply, a twinkle in her eyes. "There were others that were larger and more voluptuous but this one really stood out in its color and texture," she explained. "And it's not quite one of the local varieties, either."

"It doesn't look like it," Sakura agreed, her thumb tracing over the appliance-cooled petals. "How much is it?" she quickly asked.

Ino shook her head. "Nothing. It's on the house," she said. "Giving one flower away isn't going to force us into bankruptcy." She half-smiled, knew that Sakura would understand the meaning but hoped she'd take it further then just at face value. "You could probably use a stitch of inspiration this morning, anyways."

"It does…kind of." Looking the flower over again, Sakura tenderly took it by the stem and sniffed. It filled her nose with a soft aroma of faint sweetness. "Thanks, Ino."

The blonde shrugged. "Don't mention it," she said, concealing her appreciation. The cheerful jingle of shop bells rang as Sakura opened the door and stepped out into the rain. Not bothering to put any shoes on, Ino followed in just her bare feet. The canopy above the main entrance provided adequate enough shelter.

Opening and locking the umbrella into fan-position, Sakura glanced up at the quilt of never ending gray skies. "It sure doesn't seem like it wants to let up," Sakura commented as she stepped on the spongy ground. "Not one bit."

Ino wriggled her feet along the wind-brushed walkway, the chill of cold stone feeling good on the bottom of her toes. "Just one of those days," she said. "I wouldn't worry about it. It's not going to deter you or anything. And it'll stop eventually." She looked at Sakura's feet. "Oh, but I should have offered you a pair of rubber boots to keep your feet dry. Did you want to borrow mine? We're probably about the same shoe size."

Sakura looked down as well, then waved a hand for no. "I can live with this. It's just one less thing I'd have to bring back, anyways."

"Suit yourself," she said. "Just don't be in too big of a hurry, or you'll end up falling into a puddle like a klutz."

Sakura scowled. "Quit talking in the past tense. I'm not that clumsy anymore."

Ino laughed. "Yeah, yeah."

Ignoring the rebuttal, Sakura tightened her grip on the handle. "Well, I guess this is it," Sakura said. "Thanks again for everything. I'll be sure to tell Naruto about the celebration you're planning for Chouji."

"Um…yeah," Ino replied, suddenly distracted. "I'll contact you with the details sometime within the early afternoon. I hope you'll do the same," she quickly added, the playfulness almost forced.

"Yeah, okay," she replied, not asking if she was referring to the Fifth Hokage or else Naruto, and not all that ambitious to seek clarification either. "I'll see you later, Ino," she said over her shoulder, lifting her hand in a farewell greeting. She turned and started to walk away—

"Uh, Sakura?"

Sakura groaned. She figured that escape wasn't going to be that easy without additional hoops to jump through. Should have figured that it wasn't going to be that easy. "Yes?"

"Well…umm—actually, it's…nothing, it's nothing," she managed, knowing that it was already too late for denial.

"…Nope, it's something," Sakura confirmed, wheeling around to stare Ino in the eye. "What is it?"

Ino quickly shook her head. "Ah, I already told you that it's nothing."

Sakura took a step forward. "And I say it's something," she repeated, not taking her eyes off of Ino. "It's not like you to start saying something and not finish it. You're a little more outspoken then that. Spit it out." Their roles abruptly switched.

Ino felt uncomfortable. "It's just…this probably isn't any of my business to ask—neither were a lot of other things, either—but…whatever it is you decide to tell Naruto, just…don't hurt him, okay?"

Now t_hat _was a bizarre question as any Sakura had ever heard. A take like that from Ino was like her saying she didn't care about her appearance via dieting and wanting to stay ridiculously thin (which wasn't necessary anyways) when she was easily pretty enough. Sakura wasn't sure if she should take offence and address the unforeseen inquiry with a string of sharp words ending with the predictable 'it's none of your business' routine. Ino's bashfulness made that a difficult idea to follow up on. While not entirely taken back, Sakura couldn't just let that slide either. "Could you expand on that, Ino?" Sakura asked, doing her best not to make it sound like a threat.

Ino rubbed her jaw, a habit that didn't really suit her. "I don't know. Like I said: It's not any of my business, but doesn't it seem like you're getting a little headstrong with all of this?" She suddenly shook her head as if flinging the whole thing out from her ears. "Whatever. I—I don't care. So just—whatever it is you decide to say to him, be sure that you actually mean it. Don't tell him something that you know isn't true. Naruto's a dork but he does have feelings and you—you don't want to end up hurting him." She tossed her hands up. "But just forget I ever said anything," she repeated. "Really. It's inconsequential." Sakura hadn't batted an eye so far but that didn't mean Ino was safely out of the woods just yet. With her luck, she'd probably stuck her foot in her mouth again. Despite her nervousness, Ino waited willingly for a response

"Do you recall," Sakura slowly addressed the question, "what you told me earlier? About taking just baby steps, and not changing the world in one day? You remember that?" Her stare was directed towards the ground while she talked.

"I remember," Ino answered honestly, some of the tension in her chest easing.

Sakura twisted her foot against the soil. "Well…I've decided that's what I'm going to do," she resolved. "Take little steps."

"Oh…_really_?" Ino's surprise clearly betrayed through the reply. She hadn't expected her simplistic, yet firm advice to be taken to the heart. It was nice to know she hadn't wasted her breath completely.

Sakura's nod was unabashed. "Well…yes. I mean; you said it best. There's no point in making a mountain out of an anthill. I shouldn't try to stick Naruto under a microscope just because of something he said." She smiled weakly. "And I guess I deserve to feel like a total dummy for overreacting in the first place," she added, laughing freely at herself to emphasize the idiocy.

"Oh, well. You aren't stupid, Sakura. You just needed to work it out. But you're not just saying all of that just to give me a warm, fuzzy feeling, are you?" Ino deliberated with her familiar brazenness.

"Yeah, like you deserve that kind of satisfaction," Sakura retorted hotly, kicking water-laced grass at her, forcing Ino to jump back. "Why'd you act so surprised when I told you that I was taking your advice?" she asked in a scrupulous tone, adding a smug looking grin to twist the knife.

Ino scratched the back of her head, glanced off to the left. "W-ell…it just sounded shocking that you'd actually take something I'd said to mind. You must have really been desperate and…um…yeah…" she stuck half her tongue out to conclude.

Sakura sighed, for what had to be the millionth time in a week. "I just want to spend some time with him without making it look clumsy on my end. Not out of repentance, neglect, or because I feel obligated," she stated. "Just…honest time."

"You forgot to include prying," Ino reminded, her span of nervousness completely gone at this point.

Sakura glowered. "Oh, just leave me alone! Shouldn't you already be inside helping your parents instead of trying to pump me for information?"

Ino tapped her chin. "The latter is a lot more satisfying."

"I see, well, you'll have to get your jollies some other way," she commented in a regretful tone that was meant to be cynical. "I appreciate the advice and all the help. Thanks a million." Sakura turned and started to jog away, "See you later."

"I want to hear details, forehead! Remember that!" Ino shouted to be heard over the short distance. Sakura waved again in confirmation, trotted up the street, disappeared behind a building—and then she was gone, the neighboring structures obstructing Ino's view.

And that marked the end of that interesting little visit.

"Well, I'd say I had my share of fun for the morning," Ino spoke to nobody in particular while in the midst of a somewhat earned stretch of a job well done. She could honestly say that offering her casual assessment to a peculiar matter for a vexatious friend wasn't exactly on par to solving some six thousand year old nagging riddle or accomplishing some great achievement for mankind. Egotistically, even _she_ knew where to draw the line. _And she really had not done much on her part_. That was probably a good thing. If she had butted in at a time where Sakura wasn't as edgy or bothered, she might have taken it upon herself to slap Ino's head off of her shoulders for the number of rudimentary and unwanted remarks. Forehead could be absolutely fearsome and calculating when she wanted to be. Knowing that she had played a part in that creation, Ino couldn't help but shudder…

But, in all fairness, that really had been a strange conversation. It had been so unusual to listen to Sakura speak of Naruto in such an aloof and flustered context. Her compassion did seem genuine and the reasoning and concerns did make some sense. After all, Sakura wasn't the only to notice some of the improvements he'd made over the short span of time. The only other thing that troubled her was the awareness of knowing that Sakura had a bit of power over Naruto. Although it wasn't quite a 'crack the whip' type deal, Ino knew that Sakura could easily influence and manipulate him (up to a point) if she chose—but was also mature enough not to use that to her advantage.

Still, whether it was for good reasons or bad intentions, the existing notion that she was only using Naruto because he was suitably convenient was still too strong to ignore. It was probably wrong on her part to think in such pessimistic terms, but she couldn't help it. Even the most careful ideas could backfire with the most disastrous consequences. And there was just _no way_ that forehead was going to forget all about Sasuke at the snap of a finger; not after all that time she'd invested scheming and plotting despite numerous failures. It just didn't jive together—

Or was this simply another step to her maturing.

This logjam was almost in comparison to breaking a branch off of a tree. If you twist and peel the branch enough times eventually it's going to tear away. Sakura had done just that. She'd twisted and twisted until she'd pulled the branch away, exposing an answer that she had or hadn't been expecting, or else prepared to hear just then. This event placed both parties in an unfavorable disposition—but perhaps that had been Naruto's intentions all along. Maybe there was something jumbling around in that skull of his after all…

But Ino had already concluded that this wasn't her problem and, to her knowledge, it still wasn't. All she could do is form her own guesses and hope that things worked out for the best. Whatever that meant and…dammit! Now she was starting to fall into this blasted mind frame! Filling her lungs with clean-scented, replenishing oxygen once more, Ino turned and, leaving that nonsense to drift in the wind where it belonged, stepped back into the house.

Skidding across the mat to remove any dirt or water on her feet, Ino picked up a package of flowers and walked over to her mother, who was still working at an orderly pace to get things put away in the refrigerator. "Which shelf do you want these tulips?"

The older women pointed to the bottom, left-hand side of the unit. "Next to the _rest_ of the tulips," she replied in a hurried composure. "Sorry. How was the visit?" This was a significant improvement from what she'd been like an hour ago, and an apology to boot? Ino would need to make it a habit to have company in mornings like these more often.

Ino sighed elaborately. "Pretty good, I guess. _Interesting_ might be a better way to put it, but I enjoyed it. Sakura's taking things a lot better then what I had anticipated," she commented, answering the inevitable question. Might as well get it out of the way.

"Well, that's nice to hear," she cheerfully replied, as if she'd been like that the whole time also. "I hope she comes over more often—you two were always so close. Is that why you wanted to give her a cosmos flower instead of something more foreign and not indigenous to this region?

"It was for symbolic reasons," Ino answered

Her mother nodded without batting an eye. "I see. So what did you two talk about?" she asked, not expecting a lengthy response, but curious just the same. She'd been young once, too.

Placing another set of tulips with the others, Ino gazed at the colorful arrangement of cosmos flowers on her side of the cooling unit. "Nothing special," Ino innocently replied. "Just girl talk," she elaborated with a faint smile, hoping that Okaa-san would understand.

Mrs. Yamanaka nodded, matching Ino's grin with one of her own. She _did_ understand. With that—and with equally improved spirits, mother and daughter, along with father, worked together to make preparations for the eventual start of another day in the Yamanaka flower shop.

"_Good luck, Sakura. Do your best…don't screw up!_"

**To be continued…**

**Author's Note: **I guess it's safe to say that I'm not a ghost or back from the dead or anything. But considering that I haven't updated in a crazy long time (trying to ignore the numerous dirty looks and the menacing sound of dozens upon dozens of closed fists smacking against open hands)! Um, yeah; been really busy guys…

This was one of those segments I felt couldn't really be shortened without that additional supporting character feedback or else added insight and perception. Again I contemplated cutting this chapter into two parts because of its unbelievably, massive length. And I probably should have, but I figured it might screw up the writing scheme so I left it as one big ass segment. Figure I owe the people who asked/threatened to know when the next update was going to sprout around at least that much courtesy. Really didn't really have time to sit down and slog away at this until the fall season. I kind of had to relearn a couple things in the process (still trying to ignore deathly stares), but I definitely enjoyed getting back in the grove. How some people can write super long, detailed chapters in mere days and make them look so good is way beyond my means…

Anyway, hope you guys liked the chapter. I don't think I ever want to see this one again as far as changes or time spent on it goes. Looking at the same introductory sentence for the last six months was enough of a punishment, and there'll probably be a hundred mistakes on it again as usual. It'll be great to start something different. Thanks again for being so patient.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or any characters related.

7:51 AM:

_With sweat dripping down his chin and kunai in hand, Naruto found himself stumbling through the unfamiliar landscape of a lush, lurid forest. His jumpsuit felt hot and sticky; the sweltering humidity left his body dampened in heavy perspiration. The overhead canopy of foliage seemingly did nothing to deflect the pierce of the blazing sun. It felt as if he was trapped in a perpetual steam bath. Water seemed to drip all around him. His eyes burned in irritation. _

_Slicing a path through the thick underbrush, multiple branches snapped at him in sharp protest leaving red welts and deep scratches on his exposed hands and face. In addition to his misery—and roused by the disturbance, monstrous mosquitoes and pesky gnats buzzed around his greasy scalp, driven by their primitive but ravenous hunger for flesh and warm fluids. He swiped at the persisting mass every moment he could spare. The annoyances were unquestionably heinous._

_But, heedless to say, there was something else… a strong sense of urgency that pushed him to run even faster through the oppressive vegetation, forced him to ignore the rashes and insect bites, forced him to ignore the drumming pulse of uncommon fear that raced through his heart. Naruto felt as if something was stalking him from the hidden depths of swaying green. From off in the distant woods, a denizen bird squawked in terror. He shoved aside a thicket of thorn bushes—_

—_And was caught off guard by a short set of carved steps that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Tripping over the ledge, his momentum carried him all the way over onto a clearing where he landed nose first, rocks and sharp blades of grass singed and peeled against his already raw face. He pushed himself up from the ground onto his trembling hands and knees, spitting out dirt and bits of plant that had ended up in his mouth. Shaking off the remaining twigs that were stuck in his hair, Naruto turned, looked over his shoulder—and stared in complete bemusement. _

_The scorching grove he had trekked through was gone; the only evidence that it had ever been there existed in the physical form of numerous bumps and bruises left all over his body. The insects were also gone, abruptly dissolved or else unable to exist in this change of habitat. The temperature had noticeably dropped to that of a pleasantly cool autumn day. _

_But the strangest sight of all was the fuzzy looking shape of an architectural structure, a strangely familiar foundation that looked as if it existed beyond any preceding manifestation constructed in the form of nature and wildlife. As he stared at the building in confusion, Naruto's vision seemed to straighten and, upon making the connection, was startled to realize that he was standing in front of the ninja academy. At his back, a thick, almost deliberate mist made it impossible to tell if the playground was there or not._

_Confused as to its appearance, Naruto jumped to his feet and took a few bounding steps forward to get a closer look—even a glimpse inside—but the building seemed to stretch itself away like an accordion. Naruto tried running, but it simply shied away all that much faster. He just couldn't get close enough. He forced a sprint, stumbled, and came down awkwardly on his knees, eye taken off the pseudo-school for a second. He scrambled to his feet, prepared to rush forward in another futile attempt—_

—_And stopped just as quickly, confusion reforming and breaking over him twofold. The building had vanished, dematerialized like another particle of dust to the wind, and in its place, a transition had taken another form. Fashioned out of simple wood and constructed in the shape of a massive wooden jar, a strange looking box sat in full display no more then twenty meters from him. Upon recognizing the eerie container, a sense of dread filled him from head to toe, freezing his blood like ice water. The kunai dropped from his moist grip._

_It was a burial casket. _

_There were no marking on this one, no talismans, thick roping, or any clues to indicate that this had been the one used to transport Sasuke. Nevertheless, Naruto's heart thumped with worry. He wanted to back away from this unsightly object but found his compelling feet shepherding him forward with a morbid curiosity that left little room for the debate of phobias. He tried to look away but could not pry his eyes from the apparition that grew in size as he approached, its inanimate patience resembling the illusion that it was just an ordinary object, but deep down he knew it was not to be. _

_Reaching the coffin, Naruto tried to deny the action of laying his quivering hands on the polished section closest to him. Regardless of his consent, the lid began to lift with a mind of its own. Betraying fingers pried up the loose corner and tossed aside the weightless lid like a piece of sea foam. With fresh beads of sweat dotting his forehead, Naruto gripped the edge, peered inside the case…and felt his beating heart shatter into a thousand pieces._

_Swathed in a clean white blanket, Sakura sat like a body prepared for a ceremonial wake. Her porcelain face was turned away; combed hair framed her cheeks and chin. Manicured hands lay draped in her lap. There were no marks on her body, no visible wounds or injuries to indicate her passing. She looked at peace, like a blessed angel sleeping in hibernation. _

_His breath came out in short heaves. "Sakura-chan?" Naruto rasped in a stricken whisper. A strange resonance carried through his stricken inquiry, bouncing and rebounding the words around the fog, as if he were standing over the mouth of a gaping canyon. She couldn't be gone. She couldn't be. Not her. _

_Not Sakura. _

_Blatantly ignoring the fact that he was invading a space of sacred significance, Naruto reached forward and shook her arm gently, called her name again; a third time. Desperate tears trickled down his ashen face. He wanted her to stand up, to say something, insult him, or even punch the crap out of him—anything! He just didn't care. _

_How did this happen? Who did this to her? Why?! Falling to one knee, Naruto felt as if he were turning into smoldered soot, his head pressed against the shapely wood, perfectly crafted in a seamless curvature. "What did she do to deserve this?" Naruto demanded of himself. "Why did something like this…h-have to happen to her?" Grief stricken, he swung a vicious fist at the distorted ground beside him, but felt nothing that resembled the caliber of physical hurt he wanted, only a vast, numbing emptiness that consumed all traces of hope. _

"_Because you failed," a gravely voice whispered in answer, mockingly and acutely from somewhere in the mist. Perhaps it was the very mist itself._

_Looking up in a daze, Naruto heard a soft, distinctively hissing noise next to his ear, almost like meat sizzling on a grill. He turned his head—and swore viciously. An explosive tag had been planted on the side of the hollow case. Sluggishly standing, Naruto reached down to whisk Sakura from her confines, to pull her away, but he couldn't get a proper grasp on her. It was like trying to hold on to melting butter. She kept sliding away. It was hopeless. The bomb was burning quickly, too fast. He turned to run—_

—_And a massive explosion, almost like a brutal push to the chest, sent him flying backwards. He landed, tumbling head over heels like a leaf in a vicious windstorm. _

_Flames danced before his eyes like the devils of hell. He couldn't tell if any part of his body was enveloped or not. He was still dealing with the shock of it all. A strange smell filled the air. Slowing sitting up, Naruto let out a low moan of grievance as the casket before him smoldered in an unbridled blaze. The seething glow scorched his eyes but he could not tear them away from the consuming pyre. His vision glimmered, fists quivered at his sides. His breathing was asthmatic; he was wheezing. Dark spots hovered over him. He couldn't draw a breath. His lungs burned with the effort. _

"…_Sa…kura…chan…"_

_Coming down on the back of his hands, Naruto buried his face against ruined palms, sobbing and screaming, choking on fresh spittle. Rage filled his mind, laced his fragile soul with the tragic anguish of losing a dear friend. His chest was compressing; heart tightening and squeezing like an orange trapped in a vice. He couldn't breathe—_

_Something cold grasped the back of his neck. Naruto's blurry eyes widened—_

"_Don't make a promise that you can't keep," that same foul voice, akin to a snake's hiss, gloatingly rasped in his ear, a rasp that turned into a ghastly cackling, dark and ridiculing, brazen in all of its horror. _

_Naruto gasped, surged forward with maddened desperation, frantic to escape from that bloodcurdling touch, to escape those disturbing accusations, that inconceivably horrible laughter—_

—And finally breaking through the barriers separating consciousness and unconsciousness, Naruto woke up in an all-too-familiar precipitous frame of state, far too precipitous to realize that he was tumbling out of bed, and dragging most of the covers along with him. He crashed to the hardwood floor in a dazed heap; his back taking most of the impact from the tumultuous ride while his feet had flopped up over the side of the mattress like a slanted tower prevented from collapse. Naruto's lower limbs were tightly tangled in the comforter, probably as a result from a constant cycle of tossing and turning.

He lay there unmoving for a long dazed moment, haunted quivering blue eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling, heart pounding in the vacuum of his eardrums, chest and necklace briskly rising and falling in correlation to his desperate gasps; a probable aftereffect from the latest testament to another discordant-filled sleep. Naruto's hands felt numb and ghostly cold; he'd unintentionally bunched them into tight fists at some earlier point in the morning. They must have been interlocked that way for some time because it took a fair bit of effort and a small burst of chakra to finally pry them apart, releasing the two large handfuls of t-shirt he'd been involuntary gripping onto tightly for minutes, perhaps even hours—it was hard to tell.

But it wasn't hard to tell that his legs were getting uncomfortably warm from being trapped within the confines of his covers. Kicking himself free, Naruto slid himself backwards while simulteniously working into a sit. The airy chill of the morning air and the cold wooden floor didn't seem to register; his face was flushed, body felt smeared and sticky from the overabundance of nervous hot perspiration that filtered out of his pores and glands. It didn't help that his shirt clung to him like a second layer of unwanted skin. He peeled it off and blindly threw it over his shoulder, not caring where it landed—almost all of the clothing lying around the room was dirty and in need of being washed anyways. Hell, the whole place was just one giant pigsty. How anyone could have possibly navigated his or her way through without taking some meandering route was beyond—

…_Her_?

_The dream_…

_Sakura-chan_!

Bolstered into a renewed sense of urgency by the disturbingly sharp image of the fallen kunoichi, Naruto bound to his feet, blatantly ignoring the pins and needles of protesting muscles and ligaments that were still in the midst of recovering from the wild tumble and nearly unbalancing the table—and a filled glass?—in his desperation to stand; to stand and get a solid glimpse of that same girl who _had_ fallen asleep beside him in the very wee hours of the morning. He remembered that much, and she had been very much _alive_ at the time. So, then, now, technically, that racket, if it hadn't woken her up, if she wasn't raging and seething venomously…then she should, she _should_ still be on the other side of the bed fast asleep!

Heart soaring with excitement, Naruto nearly toppled over clumsily in his haste to get up, but bolstered hope and the rationality behind his practical theory quickly renewed his strength, fortified his balance. Surely she had to be there now—!

—And when he could find no visible sign of her, Naruto's heart plummeted just as quickly. While the pillow she'd used had remained intact, the blanket had been completely pulled out from that side and the underlining sheets were likewise disheveled. Though he doubted that she'd also fallen out of bed, Naruto looked over just to make sure (the room was oddly dim), but there was nobody there. He hastily strafed the rest of the room with—to the best of his ability—chakra-enhanced vision, but couldn't find any trace of her presence nearby. Nothing.

She was gone.

Reeling in confusion, Naruto's head started to spin in a sudden wave of vertigo, chest unreasonably heavy, no doubt from all those precipitated motions he'd unthinkingly preformed in the last twenty seconds. An overabundance of adrenaline this early was clearly not enough to fortify the body's state of equilibrium. He hunkered down on the bed before nausea threatened to get the best of him, sitting in such a way that eliminated the possibility of falling off again, even if, in the preposterous instance, the bed were to convert from its perfectly shaped horizontal design and structure, and to suddenly take on a wild angled tilt. He certainly felt lightheaded and dizzy enough to believe in such a betrayal transpiring; believed, _even believed_, that he might still be sleeping—

But no, the lingering ache in his cramped fingers and lower back indefinitely proved otherwise. Naruto had never welcomed jolts of pain like he did right now in his life; the credibility was vividly existent for the most part and didn't need to be guessed, even within the parameters of his fuzzy brain. There was that sense of satisfaction, if it could be called that. It also proved that he wasn't losing his marbles.

Then again, he probably was. Retrieving the blanket and wrapping it around his goose-bumped shoulders, Naruto made light fists with his still-buzzing hands, opened them slowly and carefully, closed them just as so. Something withdrawn—subliminal, he figured—told him to catch and release his breath between alterations. It was difficult, uncomfortable, took far more time then his limited patience would have normally allowed, but he kept at it until his heart-rate began to recede somewhere along the lines of not trying to burrow its way out of his chest. He felt ragged nonetheless, and there was simply no amount of huffing and puffing he could manage that could vanquish the dry sour taste seemingly implanted in the back of his throat. The acrid feeling was comparable to what he'd been experiencing for several days now. Perhaps it would be an endless onslaught. He didn't know, but the very thought of it made him all the more despondent, all the more angry. It was akin to waging a battle against a vengeful ghost. Fighting—

—Fighting…and losing.

And Sakura had become a casualty—

"_NO!" _His mind screamed blasphemy.

—because of him.

Nearly galvanized to that inevitable point of losing his temper, Naruto shot his right hand out and viciously flicked on his lamp, nearly knocking it over again while reaching around his back, curved fingers frantically treading and searching through layers of fabric and material on the approximate level, tightened once he'd found what he was looking for. Anger gave way to an impending sense of anxiousness as Naruto brought the other pillow close to the light, studying its cover with purposeful intent. This dipped well into the realm of paranoia but it was the _only_ possible way to erase any further speculations. He scrutinized one bleach-stained side, flipped it over, checked the other—

—And there it was. Upon finding the unbiased proof he'd been looking for, fervent relief stole through him like the touch of a warm wind. It only took a second, but its appearance was unmistakably candid. Among the protruding needles of feather quills, light reflected off a few miniscule trace threads bearing a dull hue of familiar florid polish. Shutting his eyes, Naruto—embarrassment aside—held the pillow up to his nose and sniffed. He didn't quite need Kiba's honed sense of smell to search and discern the subtle familiarity of tropical shampoo. It was a very faint aroma, nearly intangible, but it, along with the stray hair, _was_ existent proof that dispersed any remaining speculation.

Sakura was here.

"_Or had been,_" Naruto thought, his groggy gaze meeting the heavily drenched window, unable—and unwilling—to shake the twinges of disconcertment that pricked at him for running around, creating a commotion and acting like a scared little wimp in the first place; yet it was a small price to pay for the solace of knowing Sakura was probably at home sleeping in her own bed right now, safe and warm. Although it would have been nice if she'd left a note, he knew _full well _that she could take care of herself in almost any given situation, and wasn't just some girly girl who needed coddling—he knew that, knew it all too well; he'd been soundly beaten up enough times for trying to go in that direction, and she'd probably be doing just that to him now for waking her up, _had_ she still been here.

Naruto smiled grimly, chuckled softly. Maybe he'd just ought to consider himself lucky that things had worked out like they had instead. Reaching under the bed for a pair of old slippers and putting them on, Naruto slid to the floor and padded across the room. His upper body felt cold, so he pulled up the entire blanket and wrapped it over his stiff shoulders. It was a cool enough temperature that the furnace should have already kicked in by now; likely on the fritz again as usual which was no big surprise (Oji-san—regarded as a real cheapskate—also kept it shut off in the summertime as a way to slash expenses, only to switch it on when his wife _insisted_ it be switched on).

She was probably making a commotion about it now. From his vantage point, it looked downright wet and miserable. Far more then for what it normally should have been this time of year, and there didn't appear to be any break in the uniform looking clouds either. The streets below were polluted with filling puddles, almost like shimmering polka dots. He craned his neck to try and look over in the other direction, didn't get very far in doing so but pretty well imagined it looked about the same that way too. Overall, the outside world of Konohagakure was a moisture-laden domain. A few people with what must have been really important business scurried about like confused mice trapped in a maze.

Naruto quietly sighed, flexed his circulating fingers. He still should have been up, if anything just to locate an umbrella that she could have used for the walk home. Having gotten even less sleep then he had, Naruto really doubted Sakura would have had the patience—or plain brazenness—to bother looking for one, especially when he didn't even know for sure if there was one to be had or not.

"_Settle down, dummy. She's not made of sugar__**.**_"

"Doesn't mean she couldn't have used the damn thing," Naruto fulminated through pursed lips, but the issued retort that rolled off of his tongue felt as pointless as it sounded amidst the drum-steady tapping of water on his roof. They'd both undergone series of practices in miserable weather before as a team. There was no point in getting excited again over something so pointlessly irrational, especially since she'd probably been deliberate about not disturbing him (she probably hadn't needed to expand that much effort anyways).

Fingering the crystal on his necklace, Naruto took a slow breath, let it out just as so; the pungent medley of flourishing vegetation an aesthetic tranquilizer on his frazzled nerves, stemming from a combination of factors ranging in parameters both within and beyond his means of control, deriving more from the latter if anything. Naruto felt lousy and it wasn't just from having a real shitty sleep either. Something was very much out of place and he needed to figure out what it was soon. Maybe it was a natural reaction from the injuries he'd sustained. Baa-chan hadn't mentioned anything about mental side effects and Naruto wasn't quite willing to push his luck and ask about it period; she'd only want to poke and prod him with more medicinal needles and that was if she was in a good mood.

But he knew he wasn't astute enough to figure all this stuff out on his own, knew he needed to ask somebody for guidance, but had little idea as to what questions he wanted to ask. It felt frustrating. And, normally, so did being cooped up indoors. Lack of the sun would have perturbed him but its absence felt welcomingly appropriate today. And since it was probably unlikely he'd be receiving visits from more unexpected guests, getting a few things done in the apartment was probably a good idea. Housework was pretty far down on the list when it came to his favorite activities, but it was something that really couldn't be ignored, and it would keep him active. Plus he didn't need the landlady pitching another fit or giving one of her _motherly _lectures depicting the importance of tidiness and cleanliness. The plants also needed tending, watering, feeding—

It was at that point when Naruto realized how thirsty he was getting. He usually was in the mornings, but the self-induced panic he'd experienced earlier made his throat feel even fuzzier now then normal. He hoped he wasn't getting sick or anything. Turning away from the humidified window, Naruto glided across the smooth floor, stopping at his dresser to hunt for the pajama top he normally wore to bed. Moving clothes aside, he couldn't help but pride himself just a bit for having shown a little foresight to put the pajamas neatly away instead of just tossing them on the floor in a slothful pile. Some of the landlady's advice must have been starting to set in.

It was only after tossing the comforter back on the bed and absently buttoning up his shirt when he finally happened to notice the ivory-colored glass of water sitting on the nightstand next to the radiant lamp, remembered almost knocking it over. Naruto scratched the back of his head, rubbed the small of his back, wondered how that had gotten there.

Maybe that was Sakura's doing. Finishing dressing, Naruto ambled over and picked up the room-warm glass, took a careful sip, ended up draining the whole thing in one foul swoop. Considering the rush she was probably in at…well, whatever the time would have been, taking the extra minute or two to do something unnecessary like this was pretty nice on Sakura's part. Nice, and, frankly—amongst the other things—was a little unexpected.

Tracing a thumb over the rim of the glass, the corner of Naruto's mouth lowered fractionally at an angled curve, a rare look, both speculative and wary, sculpted his normally passionate face. He was almost unaware of the expression he was making until a headache started to develop over his right eye, throbbing like some painful mass of a boil. He'd come to rely on his instincts a great deal over his time spent as a budding ninja; almost as a sort of impromptu warning buzzer whenever something was out of place. While there were times where he'd labeled the purpose incorrectly, they were almost never wrong when there _was_ something afoot.

As seemed the case now.

But before he could start sifting and interpreting the impulses, something small, square and compact shaped slipped out from beneath the cup Naruto was holding and started to flutter towards the floor in a gentle spiral. Reflexes swinging into action, Naruto's left hand swung out in a dexterous arc, snagging the makeshift coaster in only two attempts…which, at first glance, was all it turned out being: a piece of scrap paper, meticulously and elaborately folded to fit the bottom underlay of the cup, stuck there from previous condensation. Even the corners had been neatly folded in, creating the basic impression of a rudimentary-looking flower. He didn't know if she had done that merely to fit the crude thing into place, or as some sort of exercise to satisfy the artistic flair she sometimes displayed a particular prowess for.

Either way, this had been an unnecessary chore, a waste of effort on her part. The wood on the nightstand was already badly stained in several places, both from water and other products that had left similar marks and nicks. Had it not been pitch dark at the time, Sakura would have seen all that for herself. Naruto huffed at the now dry outline, the cup-sized indent that had separated and protected the glass from the table, abruptly frowned in concentration; there was something in the middle of the circle, a few marks that looked strangely familiar. He had good night vision, but brought it closer to the light anyways for a closer peek. Looked like written characters—

Then, upon recognition, Naruto's hear skipped a beat. It was Sakura's handwriting; the simple characters displaying only one word:

**Open**.

Despite what he thought of its impracticality almost less then half a minute ago, Naruto's hands, nevertheless, shook as he worked to unravel the hexagonal package with a barely restrained excitement—almost as if it were some birthday present. He took it apart slowly, refusing to submit to the temptation of rabid haste—almost as if he wanted to savor the surprise he _knew_ he was about to experience. What was it that she had left him? He'd find out shortly. From rectangle to square, each unfurled side resulted in a bigger shape then the previous. Reaching the final rectangle, Naruto waited until his hands stopped fidgeting before slipping a worn fingernail under the paper and opening the sheet, revealing—

"—Kakashi-sensei!?" Naruto exclaimed, nearly choking on the words.

Well, not quite. It was a doodling—one from a series of drawings, actually—that he'd whipped up for practice a few months ago in preparation for the fight against their seemingly carefree instructor. Whereas strategy and battling the paper-faced dummy had been nothing short of a breeze, fighting the real deal had proven to be a little more difficult then originally anticipated; along with humbling—he'd never dealt with an enemy more dangerous that day then that of his own hunger. It was after that embarrassing foray when he decided to keep suitable rations on subsequent trips, along with the new knowledge gained of course.

Just how deep of a hole did Sakura have to dig to uncover this little artifact? It seemed like a lot of this stuff just loved scattering to the four winds—even more of a reason to get the place half-assed sorted out, he figured. And what had the point of dragging this particular item out of the blue been anyways? Naruto's eyes slowly roamed up and down the page, not allowing the tiniest of details to go unanalyzed.

He didn't have to look very long. On the bottom of the page, situated at the bottom right corner, a few more carefully characters had been written in basic ink. Her neat, business-like writing easily stood out, while his sloppy notes and crude penmanship commonly left something to be desired. Hardly intimated, Naruto glanced at the note, recognized the meaning without a problem:

**Other side**.

Kakashi's voice rang through his mind like a scolding mantra: "_Ninja's read underneath the underneath, Naruto._" It felt as if both the drawing and message were both trying to lecture him in union. Fighting the sigh that threatened to escape his lips—and hardly succeeding, Naruto flipped the rumpled paper over, held the sheet away so that his eyes could take in the entire thing. Previously hidden, she'd written the note from top to bottom in the appropriate kanji characters at the bottom of the page, structuring and designing the text so that even he would be able to understand it without much difficulty—even though he had no doubts that she could produce calligraphy with the best of them; part of her highly studious nature no doubt. Smoothing out the crumpled page, Naruto sat the edge of the bed and, ignoring the flush of heat in his cheeks, started to read.

**Good Morning, Naruto.**

**I hope you've received this. Did you have a good sleep? **

**Sorry for the messy writing, but I'm in a bit of a hurry—parents and all.**

**I just thought I'd remind you that I'm still taking you out for dinner today. **

**Don't spoil your appetite.**

**Talk to you later. **

**(^^)**

**Haruno Sakura.**

There was nothing else. Lowering the paper, Naruto felt most of the giddiness empty out of him. While it was the first time she'd ever written a personal note for him, it was _pretty_ much what'd he expected to find. Messy writing? Yeah, right. That proved the note wasn't a ruse—only a _girl_ would toss in something that redundantly modest, especially an intelligent one. Contrary to what people thought of him, he wasn't completely brainless. Opening the bottom shelf on his nightstand, he stuffed the note into the drinking cup and tucked it inside the drawer where it wouldn't be damaged, promptly closed it and sat back.

Well at least this finally put everything into perspective, made it all seem practical. Naruto had never met her parents, imagined that despite her training and abilities, they would have still certainly objected to having their only daughter staying out beyond all hours of the night. She'd probably gone home to save face, cover her tracks in a meticulous fashion. Sakura was incredibly astute and resourceful. If caught, she'd have easily figured out something to say that would have smoothed over any rocky predicament. Her self-reliance was a comfort he could take a measure of relief in…perhaps even more so now then ever. She would be—_was _okay.

Dinner though? His mind whirled back to that pivotal moment when she'd included that generous little tidbit. Almost murky sounding words, but they did ring a bit of a mental bell. He'd been tired then—_far _too tired to take anything she'd said then seriously, or at face value. Even now, Naruto seriously doubted that she would make good on a promise like that—_especially_ when he'd remembered once hearing her personally say, bordering almost on blasé, that she was cheap. And with this deluge of rain underway_—_

He didn't want to see her.

"_What the_—_?_"

The proclamation stunned him like a sucker punch to the mouth; Naruto nearly retched at the absurdity of it. There wasn't a single day he didn't rush over to the designated meeting spot as fast as his feet could take him, with a large stone throbbing in the pit of his stomach, in the mightiest of hopes of Sakura being there alone so that he could say good morning to her exclusively without Sasuke being around to show him up like he always did (Naruto was almost always late anyways). In minds eye, he pictured himself in that same raging run, slowing down, starting to slow down, down, down until he was in but a simple leisurely walk. The scenario felt heavily flawed, totally out of place, absolutely absurd…but on the same token the stone in his gullet felt as if it had shrank half its normal size. Naruto tapped his finger against the smiley face that Sakura had drawn above her name, imagined it was really hers; a tiny smile, a wondrous grin, a puzzled frown, an irritated scowl—

"I don't…want to see her," he dubiously whispered in midst tap, half-expecting to feel a guilty twinge of disappointment at the open comment. Instead, the empathetic stone shrank all the more in mass, nervousness detaching from him like air in a balloon. He said it again, felt a little more of the tension running off of his shoulders. It still registered wrong through the eardrums, but having not felt this detached in some time; it was hard not to relish it just a little.

But did it brand him a coward?

His stomach started to churn in an unpleasant way again. Not long ago he'd sworn an oath on his very blood that he would not run from any threat, any person, or any challenge: large or small. And while he couldn't absolutely say for sure, Naruto seemed certain that that promise included teenage girls his own age. If only she wasn't so scary at times…

As he started to consider again with a clearer conscience, Naruto's lips slowly puckered into a determined thin line. No, he couldn't be sure that it was the right thing, and yes, he had every plausible reason to believe it was the wrong way to go about it, but what else could be done? The fact of the matter might have been childish and pointedly ambivalent, but it didn't change the fact that he didn't want to see her. Not today, perhaps not for a few days. Not until he'd uncovered and dismembered the festering root that had been so devastatingly effective in sprouting such grotesque, lifelike nightmares as of late. And if he ever wanted eight hours of _undisturbed_ sleep again, it needed to be soon.

Which drew him back to the current conundrum—or rather two to be totally accurate: To take the threat of Sakura's unlikely visit seriously, and, if so…whether or not he wanted to be present for that at all. He had no illusions persuading him to think he could avoid her forever—she already knew most of his favorite hangout spots from select occasions where he'd been _persuaded_ to flee from her a few times for his own personal safety (it wasn't his fault she wouldn't listen to reason)—nor did he want them either. He couldn't just start cutting the important people out of his life because of some convoluted, probably foolish trepidation chalked up to a ridiculous score of panic attacks. Naruto slapped an open hand against his thigh to further discriminate the point. That sounded a little too much like something Sasuke would have done had it been him sitting here.

Perhaps that's what drove him to leave in the first place. That, or else…

The dreams…they were catching up to him again. He shook his head, trying to block out the images that were trying to slip through the barriers he'd constructed with inept efficiency, filtering through his mindset like ravenous worms bent on devouring everything that held a shred of hope, leaving despondency as its dung. Naruto gnashed his teeth furiously, but to no avail; the pictures started to amplify, sharpen, then blur into a surreal picture, an overlapping déjà vu slideshow sequence:

_Being trapped in the slimy innards of that giant hungry snake in the forest of death, its salivating muscles coiling and tightening around Naruto's thrashing body, ushering him further down its rancid gullet with piteously slowly determination, chillingly callous in its animalistic viciousness. Compressed far too tightly to perform even the most rudimentary of ninja tactics, the simultaneous sound of exploding muscles and crackling bones was hideously muffled in his liquid-filled ears as the snake effectively choked the life out of him, began to feed…_

"That's not what happened," Naruto growled warningly, a soft but betraying tremor in the note of his voice giving away his apprehension. He'd _killed_ that snake from the forest with a mass number of shadow clones—_far _too many for a snake, even one for its massive girth and proportion, to consume in entirety. But regardless of his assurances, the sequence continued without impediment, a dark tunnel channeling him from the belly of the snake into another deadly predicament—

_He was sprawling on a wide branch, having just finished mounting an unsuccessful offensive against a nightmarish Gaara, who had now completed the metamorphosis into its full tailed form, was unrecognizable—a colossal mammoth of a beast. The untamed rage and psychotic fury that had gleamed so prominently in his then human eyes burned all the more brightly in his demonic gaze. Sasuke was lying directly across from him in another branch in a bruised heap. Off to Naruto's right, Sakura was firmly entrenched against the trunk of a tree, suspended by the sand-shaped hand Gaara had used for attacking in his transfigured state, slowly tightening and crushing against her with every minute spent. They were both in trouble—no, all three of them were in the thick of it. Trying to think on the fly, he had rallied himself for another assault against his destructive foe, felt something wrapping around the ankles, numerous flakes and pebbles of grayish sand encircled the rest of his sluggish body in several convolutions. His chakra supply, nearly exhausted from creating so many fighting clones earlier made conventional escape impossible—and so was he. Countless particles swept over him like a swarm of bees, engulfing him from head to toe. His eyesight was nearly impeded but he could make out Sasuke staggering to his feet shouting, a miniature figure in the distance. He'd never make it in time to do anything practical though—not in the weakened condition he was in. The sand was fortifying far too fast, tightening like some gritty, living suit, compressing him tightly; minerals rushing up his nasal cavity, down his throat, filling his stomach and lungs, choking him, killing—_

Naruto shoved off and started to pace back and forth the room, kicking miscellaneous junk aside. "I defeated him," he muttered, giving strength to the contention while trying to anchor the facts, the truth. He'd been able to turn that impossible situation around by summoning the frog _oyabun_, Gamabunta, and had managed to stop Gaara dead in his tracks. He'd beaten him…so why was it so difficult picturing that end result in his mind. It should have been like fitting a puzzle piece into its proper niche—_knowing full well _that it was supposed to match perfectly, but a deformity in the design wasn't allowing it. And the harder he forced, the worst it just got. He couldn't understand it….

Just like he couldn't understand why Sasuke had killed him in the dream, and that he hadn't been able to save Sakura; the heavy feeling of powerlessness in both of those scenarios, no, in all of them—

Naruto planted his feet hard, crisscrossed his fingers. That absolutely did it for him! If his thoughts wanted to betray him so badly, he'd have to supersede them in another way. Once he'd conjured a clone, Naruto turned his right palm up and began the rigorous process of gathering chakra while the alert clone molded and shaped the glowing energy like a frenzied artist hard at work. He'd grimly deduced that one almost had to be in order to perform such a difficult attack. His hands had ached for days after grasping the proper know-how, and he still had a long ways to go before claiming mastery. Not nearly the case this time. With less difficulty then anticipated, the rasengan was successfully completed in a matter of seconds. Naruto grunted his thanks at the clone for the participation, received the same in turn from the clone who disappeared in a quick poof.

Alone again, Naruto stared at the compressed blue flux of gleaming spherical energy, enveloping the shadows and burning the darkness away with its clean radiance. It hummed and whistled in a fierce tempo, blowing materials and junk around like a miniature-sized version of a cyclone that was taking on a life of its own. The nipping of his skin was inconsequential next to the fidelity that he was _not _helpless, that he could use chakra when it was needed for his own needs and/or else to defend others. That in mind, he continued to maintain control for another minute, a slightly easier feat then trying to build the spiral jutsu. Once he was personally satisfied, Naruto allowed the energy to squelch and fall apart like a dry sand castle. Light quickly flickered, the winds faded, and the room was again cast in morning shadows.

Having realized that he was breathing hard Naruto's hand automatically went to his chest, as if expecting some invisible weight to cave his ribs in. He puffed his chest out slowly, experimentally, winced at the unexpected tenderness resulting from the seemingly innocent display. Considering he hadn't used the rasengan as of late, Naruto should have figured there'd still be some unpleasant aches to take into account. He'd heard all that "don't do this, don't do that" crap from the Hokage days ago, but to actually feel this sore at this point still was something he _hadn't_ expected. He didn't regret it, though. Just like how the opposite sex had their seemingly universal methods of dealing with problems, so did the guys. Some of the measures were, sure, a little unorthodox, unrefined, but the disclosed, speedier yield made up for that. As for always being a good thing though—Naruto sighed at this—not always the case.

But he did feel better now, a great deal more like his old self again, and that was the important thing for now. He reached over and flicked up the main light switch, finally illuminating the entire room, which by now looked like a complete derelict. Naruto held no doubts that he was going to catch shit later for making such a ruckus. Ah well. Had to take the bad with the good…or was it the good with the bad? Whatever. They both probably meant the same thing. He'd get this place all tidied up today; give it a deep cleaning that was long overdue. That included washing all of the dirty clothes, the bed sheets, the pillowcases, as well as stuff from the kitchen, the bathroom and the living room. It was a big job but it gave him everything he needed to keep busy, occupied. It was what he needed now.

A familiar cramping feeling in his stomach abruptly grabbed Naruto's attention. Uh-oh. It looked like he was going to have to make a bit of a…withdrawal first before any sort of work could be started, no doubt a result from drinking that tea in the middle of the night. He could probably do with a splash of cold water across the eyes anyways, and his teeth needed a good brushing too. He'd strip the bedding after he was done, or after having some breakfast. Nobody was going to decide when, and if he wanted to eat. Straight up.

Naruto started to leave the room, paused at the doorway, took a partial glimpse inside the room, more specifically the bed. He remembered lying on his side, being on the verge of sleep, when he'd felt the unseen touch of her gaze against his back like a pinpoint of heat. For a few particular moments, he tried to picture himself as Sakura standing in the relatively same spot he was now, wondering what she had been thinking about in that brief period. He supposed it was about as important to her then as it was for him to try and guesstimate now, which it wasn't. And while Naruto still wasn't sure if he wanted to see her or not, he wasn't going to be chased out of his home either. Not by her, not by anyone. If she _did_ happen to show up in the next while, then he'd welcome her just as he had last night. It was that plain and that simple.

But that still didn't erase his doubts, and nature was calling. Naruto shut the bedroom light off and walked up the hallway, leaving behind the other lamp—which had since toppled over on its side from the aftermath of the rasengan—to shed its light silently.

Situated on a rooftop adjacent from the back of the apartment, in a small, enclosed shelter placed off to the side for the purposes of causal reconnaissance and general spying, Pakkun was sleeping peacefully within the tiny dwelling, having been lulled under further by the present rainfall that pattered over the baggy cover of a protective tarp to give the hiding place an inconspicuous look, when his sharply honed sense of hearing slowly jostled him into a state of casual awareness.

Presently, he was _supposed _to be on watchdog duty. He'd been purposely summoned and given specific instructions from Kakashi to keep an eye on his unpredictable pupil for the duration of the week while he was away on duty. More so along the lines of a polite courtesy of appeasement then an order, Kakashi had been careful to explain about the newly appointed Hokage and how she had expressed certain concerns regarding Naruto and the newly implemented law she'd formulated stating that anyone caught or else suspected of trying to leave the village with the deliberate intent of pursuing Uchiha Sasuke would then be sentenced and punished accordingly in an appropriate befitting manner. Bureaucracy was of marginal value to the kid, but those concerned knew that Naruto—after careful explanation and needful logic—could be counted on not to be intransigent concerning the matter. And while the kid did seem reckless and pigheaded, Pakkun personally doubted that he was _completely _dumb. Kakashi wouldn't have placed such a stake on the whelp if that were so.

Well, he wouldn't be disappointed. There'd been little to report on this assignment. Soup and exercise, soup and exercise, soup and exercise; if the twerp wasn't trying to eat his weight in food, he was tirelessly burning it off in those crazy drills and calisthenics. His passion was understandable; one track perhaps, but understandable. Kakashi had already stated that despite warnings, the boy, rather then meditation, would probably dispel his frustrations through a physical approach. Typical brash young man; the sense of satisfaction was better met at the end of a clenched fist then the attempted undertaking of a complex math question that only a mentally endowed scholar could have solved.

Poking his head out, Pakkun ignored the cold drops and sniffed the air, trying to get a sense out of the barometric pressure. He gauged that the rain would probably cease and desist by the early afternoon, perhaps sooner if the winds remained constant. While the elements did make it difficult, Pakkun could still pick up his quarry's distinctive scent. While it was highly unlikely that Naruto would be up this early; it was hardly the end of the world if he was awake and about. Such circumstances were beyond his means of control. All he could do was report mission status, _as instructed_, and leave the dealing of lukewarm leniency up to the capacity of higher hands.

A drop of rain struck Pakkun square on the nose, caused him to sneeze. He might yet take a bite out of that kid's slacks for having to be out here in the first place given the chance, even if it was the last day on assignment. Rambunctious punks! Always making problems for others. A nap was in order! Tucking back inside, Pakkun stretched out his short legs and curled into his favorite sleeping arrangement, cradling his head purposefully so that he could peer out quickly if needed…even though it wasn't _really_ needed. Kakashi had taken the foresight to place the shelter so that Naruto's entrance could be eyeballed in nearly a pinch. It saved a harrowing trip across the rooftop every time he wanted to look across whenever a door opened. Grumbling again at how excessively ridiculous this all seemed, Pakkun sniffed, started to take that nap…

…and sniffed again, purposely this time, frowned. There was…a something in the air, a subtle but particular whiff emanating amongst the watery mess—particular as in a pinpoint of exposed chakra, the scent becoming thicker as the density of it increased. He paused, listened. There was an equally strange noise, a low hum that seemed to slowly rise in pitch, one that seemed oddly familiar…

Pakkun snorted in annoyance. Maybe he ought to go and check up on that kid again. Naruto and strange occurrences _did_ seem to go hand-in-hand. Pakkun reluctantly stood up and tottered back out into the storm, further renewing his vow that he was going to bite that kid square on the ass for having to be out in this slop. Tracking them was one thing, but he had better things to do then play sitter for injured teens—job or not.

That was up until he saw the strange blue light orbiting through Naruto's window.

On full alert now, Pakkun trotted across the saturated rooftop as fast as his short stubby legs would allow him all the way up to the edge of the building, never taking his eyes off the bizarre, almost spectral-looking sight across from him. He'd only taken his guard off the runt for a few moments and now he appeared to be burning his room down. The previous hum had quickly escalated into a full-blown roar along his sensitive eardrums. A human being—even without any ninja training for accentuating the five senses—would have been able to pick up the noise from this range fairly easily. Had one been standing here, they might also have been able to see bits of junk and cloth whirling and swirling behind the window like innocents caught in the eye of the hurricane.

"That kid…just what the hell is he doing in there?" Pakkun muttered more surprised then moody as he stood just behind the ledge, watching the scene unfold with a controlled sense of both awe and curiosity. There didn't appear to be anybody else in there with Naruto, no sign of threat or any danger that would substantiate this odd kind of activity. There'd been a little of that a few hours earlier: the light being on at what must have been two or three in the morning, those odd shouts—

But what _had _been really peculiar was seeing that pink haired girl—Kakashi's other student, and the one who used the same brand of shampoo as Pakkun did (why she'd thrown a fit about it, Pakkun would never know)—pacing back and forth on the lower walkway several times before finally deciding to make her presence known. Pakkun didn't claim to understand human behavior, had little interest in it; his best stab left him with the impression that she'd appeared indecisive, troubled, confused. The way she'd had her head down while walking up a trench, only to look up momentarily when the range of her pacing ceased in the direction leading to Naruto's apartment, seemed to indicate some internal battle of human sorts. About what, Pakkun couldn't say. Anyways, she wasn't there now. He'd seen her leave without an umbrella a couple hours ago. Crazy kid.

And so was this one—but it appeared that things were finally settling down in there. The exotic light maintained its luminance for a few seconds, flickered and gently died out like a depleting battery. A few belongings and other objects clattered or else crashed to the floor, and the room's light came on in another moment. Everything appeared quiet, normal—continued to remain that way after seconds of careful eavesdropping. The weird tempest had apparently passed over.

Temporarily.

Pakkun sat back on his hind legs, submitting to the urge of scratching behind his ears; his smattered blue cloak feeling uncomfortably tight around his small body. He was glad that today was the last one needing to be spent on this little foray. Catching time for a nap had been an unprofitable challenge and these random events didn't help at all. And Pakkun still couldn't shake the feeling that he'd heard that noise and seen that light somewhere else before. He'd have to ask Kakashi about that. Perhaps he'd been the one who'd taught him that…whatever it was. Or maybe it had been that crazy sage—Jiraiya who'd, who'd—

And then it hit him. The two names, _those_ two particular names, were related, swirled and intermeshed into one single person, a person who, at one point, had played both the role of student (under Jiraiya) and teacher (above Kakashi): The Fourth Hokage. And the Fourth had a particularly unique technique: the ability to take chakra and meld it into a palm-sized maelstrom of offensive properties, capable of great destruction. Pakkun _knew _he'd seen it before.

Rasengan.

But…even if shown, even if explained, how was somebody that young capable of executing such a difficult maneuver—an A-class technique? There were difficulties involved, difficulties that a boy of that age wasn't astute enough to overcome without needed expertise in several branches. Though considering Naruto's abilities at improvising and thinking on the fly it seemed more then likely that he'd discovered some sort of shortcut enabling him to cobble together that sort of feat. It was…very impressive.

But that still didn't explain why Naruto had chosen to exhibit that particular skill _this _morning. He hadn't done so any of the other mornings, so why now? Pakkun supposed it wasn't all that vital in regards to mission status, but knowing the trigger point would have been slightly intriguing. Who knew, with adolescent, troublemaking kids these days? It could also be boredom setting in. Best not to worry about it and just leave things be. Wiggling and shaking his fur, Pakkun turned, started to trot back to the dry haven of his makeshift shelter, where he could get out of this mess, confident that things were returning to a state of normalcy.

And stopped, sniffed the air experimentally; caught wind of a brackish now-painfully familiar scent: Stale, sharp, and hideously aged; a narcotic odor, belonging to a brand of cigarettes sold at any local novelty shop in the village, and one that almost seem to cling to the building and its foundation like a demented spook, its foul strength coming and going with the hours of the day—and of the ornery coot who had the stomach for the blasted things to begin with. Always with a cigarette between his lips, Pakkun knew precisely who it was, had seen him walking around the complex a couple times fixing and tinkering with the odd item, or else indiscriminately and, quite comically, cursing and frivolously swearing over nothing and everything. This round didn't appear to be any exception from what could be distinguished vocally, and from what _had_ been distinguished, Naruto was going to be in for a swift jolt to start the day off. Speaking of which—

"Seems like Naruto could be in for a visit," a mild-sounding voice spoke from behind

"It seems that way," Pakkun grunted without turning his head, suppressing his surprise well. There were exceptional ninja in the village, but only a very scant number of those could actually sneak up on him without detection. Having been momentarily distracted, it might have worked this time had he not picked up on the dissimilar splashes of water that amplified little by little with quiet proximity; unobtrusive, well-trained footsteps that stemmed out of necessary habit. The dog turned his head up. "Did you just get back?"

Hands predictably hitched in his pockets, Hatake Kakashi nodded acknowledgment. "Yeah, just under thirty minutes ago. I had to stop at the Hokage's office and file the usual paperwork," he said, his voice perfectly audible over the standard black wrap he wore over his face. "She was a little vague on some of the more important details again though." He chuckled without ill will. "Ah, well. I guess she's still trying to adjust to her new position. How's Naruto been? Any complications while I was away?"

Pakkun tossed his head in the near equivalent form of a human shrug. "Nothing that hasn't already been anticipated, no. Naruto's acted within the boundaries ascribed by the Hokage so far without deliberately or forcefully crossing them."

"Mm, so the stakeout was successfully pointless then. Good." Kakashi added, his tone a pleased one.

"Were you the one that taught him the rasengan technique?" Pakkun suddenly pressed bluntly.

Kakashi shook his head, a scant touch of sadness swirling in his visible eye. "Jiraiya-sama was the one who showed it to him when they went together to retrieve Tsunade-sama. Was this the one and only time he'd used it since he was released?" The uninhibited glow had apparently not escaped his attention either.

"This morning was the only time, yes," Pakkun answered, wondering just _how long_ Kakashi had been standing behind him. "I never thought a kid like him possessed that sort of control."

"Naruto can be very innovative when he wants to be. While gathering energy, he uses a clone as the fulcrum to meld it all together. He's learned how to take the resources he has at his disposal and amalgamate them for different uses. His progress over the past few months' have been nothing short of outstanding," Kakashi spoke out of personal acclaim for his student. Deep in his heart though, he secretly wished he'd been the one to teach Naruto the rasengan instead of Jiraiya, but the famed author's appearance in the village lead Kakashi to believe that a meeting between Naruto and Jiraiya had been a prelude planted in the stars for some time. No doubt set into play by that of his own sensei… "Is that all?" Kakashi asked, pulling himself away from those reclusive memories.

"Not really—well…" Pakkun trailed off for a split moment, wondering if mentioning the little girl was initially all that important where the assignment was concerned. The task of deciphering adolescence went beyond his abilities, his scope of comprehension—and he preferred it that way. Sounds of a mild rampage had reached his ears, but from he'd seen and been told, those two together were a recipe for disaster in the making with Naruto doing most of the taste testing. Why she'd been there, Pakkun couldn't say.

But they were still Kakashi's students. Perhaps it was best he knew. "The girl—your other student—was here for a span," Pakkun spoke up, scratching at his ears. "Since late last night actually. I was just turning in when the little girl showed up. She didn't leave until a few hours ago this morning, meaning she had spent the night there unchaperoned." He looked up, saw Kakashi's brow furrowed in that of a mild frown. "I wasn't sure if a matter like that was important enough to bring to your attention," Pakkun added, unsure of to make of the older man's disposition; it was always hard to tell. "But I figured that—"

"I wonder if this has anything to do with what happened earlier," Pakkun heard Kakashi mumble to himself, something he rarely did in somebody else's presence.

"What's that?" Pakkun asked.

Kakashi shook himself. "When I was submitting my report earlier, Sakura walked into the Hokage's office unannounced and cordially requested to the Fifth that she be taken on as an apprentice. She eventually concurred, and I had to co-sign a permission sheet, permitting an exchange of authority for an unspecified period of time. Sakura is usually not empowered around authority and yet she was particularly adamant about being under the Hokage's tutelage, and I had wondered from where she'd gotten that kind of motivation." He smiled beneath his mask. "You having mentioned that makes it apparent now."

"It does?" Pakkun wondered dubiously, astonished. "How so?"

Kakashi shook his head. "Nothing that needs concern. Inspiration, individuality and self-discovery have started her down the path she believes will be of the most benefit to the people around her and society as a whole. Sakura will follow in what her heart knows as the truth. I have no shred of doubt in that. In the end…all three of them will have walked their respectably similar, but very different road towards the plateau of adulthood." Kakashi stilled, looked down at the iron guards on his gloves, voice becoming a whisper, "I had only hoped that things would have turned out differently…then how they have."

Pakkun could only helplessly stare as Kakashi receded into himself with renewed guilt. It was bitterly ironic, that no matter how talented, no matter of his list of accomplishments or how much he was revered, Pakkun knew that Kakashi would forever linger in his own personal hell, branding himself over and over again with the flames of failure. "You can't blame yourself for the rebellious actions made by Uchiha Sasuke, or from being unable to protect him from Orochimaru," Pakkun chided, almost out of repetitiveness. "Teaching him chidori doesn't diminish that in any way—it probably saved his life."

"_Yeah, and almost got Naruto killed in the process,_" Kakashi added to himself sourly, unable to draw upon any comfort from Pakkun's words of encouragement. None of that changed the fact that Sasuke been under his charge, been his responsibility. He'd seen the changes that had been slowly coming over the boy, but had been slow to reason with him until the near disaster on the hospital roof that had pulled Sakura in the middle of the fracas. But it had already been too late for reasoning then. He wished Sasuke wasn't so vindictively detached in attaining retribution for the dead. It was such a painful reminder of what Kakashi had been like then, how'd he denounced his own father after he'd committed suicide and how he had refused to acknowledge the man's spirit for the longest time until incidents had convinced him otherwise.

But then Obito's presence shone strongly within Naruto now didn't it? Perhaps that alone was enough to balance the scales of fate, balance whatever mistakes had been made. Order though would have to come on its own accordance, in its own time. Kakashi simply prayed that things would work out in the end; they always did—one way or another. And just like his pupils, he also needed to accentuate his own abilities to new heights so that he'd be able to stand by and protect them in their time of need.

Kakashi yawned, realized from his philosophizing that the exertion earned via traveling on foot for most of the night was catching up to him. He'd been going almost non-stop since Orochimaru's attack on the village had significantly thinned out the defensive ranks, and was due for a few days of rest. Whether he'd get them or not was debatable, but he _had_ been given today off and planned to spend a good portion of it in heavy slumber. A good thing since he was soaked to the bone now. Turning his gaze at Pakkun, who was still looking up at Kakashi with expectant eyes, he finally said what the dog had been waiting to hear: "Things appear to be stellar. Your job here is done, Pakkun. Time to leave."

Pakkun nodded, shook his body. "Good to hear. Are we leaving for another mission soon?"

Kakashi shook his head no, took one last glance over Naruto's apartment. Yes—everything did appear to be stellar. "Soon…but not today, Pakkun, and I need to get some sleep. Let's go home before certain people change their minds and decide that we're valuable." Adjusting his forehead band, Kakashi and company made tracks for the house.

Naruto had just finished using the toilet and was brushing his teeth when, over the sound of the fan, he heard someone knocking—_pounding_ being more appropriate—on his door. "Ah, jeez," he growled, glaring first in the direction of the inflicted door and then the mirror, frothy toothpaste dripping down his chin, making wet plopping sounds on the bottom of the sink. Naruto watched as some of it got caught and taken away by the tap water opening running out of the faucet and down into the drain pipe. He wished his problems could escape that easily—

**'KNOCK! KNOCK!'**

Not willing to deviate from the present task, Naruto quickly and irritably shouted, "Just hold on!" It wasn't his fault if the person out there couldn't use a little common sense to grab an umbrella or bother to look out a window. Huffing out his annoyance Naruto hurriedly scrubbed the rest of his molars, spat out another gob of minted mess, drank some water, gargled and rinsed. At least he didn't feel so bunged up now. Grabbing his robe off the door, Naruto cinched it around his waist, and rushed out into the living room being careful not to slip and fall, immediately noticed that it had gotten a little warmer—and it wasn't just the extra padding of clothes. He put his foot over a nearby heat register, felt a pleasant gust of heated air caress the naked skin below his pant leg; the old furnace had sputtered to life sometime over the past few minutes. Good.

Now if that person out there would just quit trying to beat his door down, the morning might just go a little smoother. "All right, all right, just wait!" He must have gotten the visitor's attention because the rampant knocking subsided, but Naruto couldn't dally in that knowledge either. And if his instincts were on the button, then he already knew who was outside.

Hand on the knob; a habitual flicker of jitters caused his stomach to flutter like a child on Christmas morning. Bred out through a sudden abundance of hope and excitement, Naruto understood the cause of it enough to let the feeling extinguish under its own foolhardy accord. It was almost like taking a daily walk that wasn't complete without tripping over the same pothole in the middle of the road. A dot of sweat trailed a path down the side of his face.

"_Quit rationalizing, dummy. Don't be an idiot—you know that isn't her._"

Refusing to be goaded into senseless belligerence, Naruto quickly unlocked the door, began to say: "Good morning—oomph!" Before he could complete the greeting, a large laundry basket topped with a green towel was thrust in his hands. The motion was so quick and unexpected that it slipped past and caught him in the solar plexus, knocking the breath out of him and nearly bowled him over. "What's the…big idea, Oji-san?" Naruto wheezed, turning the light on and staggering out of the porch. That brand of cigarette was a dead giveaway.

"Hell do ya mean 'what's the big idea'?" a gruff voice argued. "A pregnant sea turtle could've answered that friggen door faster then what it just took you!" Pushing the release button to fold the umbrella back together, water sloshed on the bottom of padded sandals as a lean middle-aged man of average height wearing a rumpled brown coat and black slacks stomped inside without invitation. Sparse white patches of scraggly hair ran amok his furrowed scalp like overgrown snakes battling for superiority. Without a beard, several old cuts and scars—from his past service as an active ninja—blemished his narrow face and lumpish nose. A lit cigarette nearly worn down to the filter hung between his thin, disapproving lips. Playing the role of deliveryman didn't seem to suit his particular fancy any, even though he'd played that role on upon numerous occasions.

Getting his breath back Naruto lifted the towel off of the delivered basket; quickly identified several articles of repaired and washed clothing, including the extra blanket for his couch. A freshly baked cake on a tray pan kept underneath a plastic dome completed the care package. Warm to the touch, strings of condensation on the inside indicated that this had been taken out of the oven no more then minutes ago. A hesitant smile flickered across Naruto's mouth, a smile that did not escape the disgruntled owner's notice.

"Old hen's been on the go all morning," the landlord grumbled dejectedly. "Claims she has about a hundred things that have to get done today—" paused to snort, "—hundred things _I_ didn't know needed to be done." He took a purposeful drag, slowly exhaled, flicked the butt out to the street to be trampled and assuredly soaked on. "I tell ya, kid, something 'bout this mushy weather just gets that cluck worked up in such a damned frenzy," he prattled on. "I wouldn't be kicking up a fuss if she weren't trying ta boot me outta the room while she's in one of her 'cleaning moods'." Vapor traces of nicotine-laced dioxide flickered out through his nasal passage, which quickly receded out the open space.

Naruto glanced at the older man listlessly. It was no secret that the landlord and his significant other shared a rather precarious relationship. Grandmotherly persona aside, Naruto knew that she—the landlady—spared little tolerance for her husband's roguish shenanigans. While he assumed the role of one who enjoyed tinkering and putting his mechanical ambitions to good use, she was the one who made sure that the bookkeeping was kept in order and that monthly payments for utilities arrived on time from the other inhabitants. That natural indifference drew them together into a sturdy, and at times strained, partnership.

"So what took ya so long answering the door?" he snooped with practiced persistence. "Were ya having complications of some sort, boy? Get raveled up in your bed sheets? Did I catch ya on the can?" He became apologetic. "I hate that too. Being detained while trying to perform morning duties—couldn't piss a man off anymore if ya tried, eh, boy?"

Naruto nodded weakly, didn't know how to respond.

Abruptly, the man placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. Though retired and aged, inextricable strength continued to radiate within his sturdy structure. "Everything okay, boy?" he asked, suddenly concerned. "All the downstairs plumbing working like it's supposed ta be? Nothin' clogging up the works?" He shook his head. "You're just a mite young to be havin' those kind of problems. Ya might have to—"

"I'm—I'm fine!" Naruto quickly burst out, knowing exactly what he was referring to and suddenly desperate to end this conversation. "I was just…brushing my teeth. Why didn't you just use your own key if you needed to drop this stuff off so quickly?" he peevishly demanded.

The old landlord continued to frown at Naruto—then broke out into a toothy grin, having enjoyed seeing the turmoil growing on the young boy's face. "Ah, kid," he sighed dramatically, broke out into raspy laughter while reaching inside of his coat pocket for his smokes and lighter. "Ya sure do make a man's day. Putting up about as much of a fuss now as you did as a youngling when you'd accidentally wet the bed." His voice trailed off in a mutter as he lit the smoke, took a puff. "Didn't think you'd ever grow outta that phase." He grinned again, displaying a sharp set of crooked teeth, discolored from the effects of aging and present habits; habits that weren't about to be curbed anytime soon.

Still grumbling under his breath, Naruto took the basket over to the kitchen. That first meeting with the frog hermit had almost convinced him that he was a long lost relative of Oji-san's. While never actually meeting, he could easily picture them sitting together at a bar, smoking and conversing about days of past glory over a pitcher of warm sake. Two hot heads simmering together like that in the same time and place seemed like a recipe for disaster. Stuffing the cake into the fridge in its usual crevice, Naruto changed the subject, asked, "Oji-san, was the furnace broken again?" It had proven to deliver its share of problems in the past. Naruto heard a short cough, followed by a dismissive, not entirely unexpected, snort. He felt certain that if weren't for protesting tenants, Oji-san would have kept it turned off as means to shave an expense, gain a little revenue. Even on cold nights, a _kotatsu_ would have provided ample enough heat. Nevertheless, a paying tenant still preferred options, especially for living in that of a gaudy apartment complex, much to the man's dismay.

"Already gotten a couple complaints," the man grumbled, wishing for the simplicity of good old days. "Flame went out. No heat or hot water. Had to relight the main burner to get things back on track." He listened for a moment, nodded his satisfaction. "Sounds like everything's back in place. Yep. Couldn't be running any smoother." He puffed out his chest in absolute bravado, instantly proud of himself. "An easy task for a man of my caliber. "

The electrically generated hum of the appliance dampened the impassive sigh that crept out of Naruto's mouth. Oji-san could easily play the role of braggart when desired. With that kind of confidence, it was a wonder he didn't tear the old building down and construct a new one just to proudly say he could still pull such a project off. With him, it was hard to say. Then again, a jack-of-all-trades wasn't really a master of any. Lingering on that thought, Naruto shut the fridge door and returned to the living room. "Oji-san, that's what you always say." He then looked at the space the old man was standing in, frowned. "If you're planning on sticking around for awhile, would you mind shutting the door at least?"

The man shrugged, flicked fresh ash out on the walkway and closed the door. "Figured the smell was botherin' ya. Anyways, the whole bit about the apartment is true," he blandly retorted. "A young mind with fresh ideals could never keep this building's heart beatin' the way I do. Professional expertise from a scarred veteran and the versed ability to improvise is the only thing that gets through ta her." He eyed Naruto up and down with a critical eye. "You might fit the bill, though, boy. Maybe when you're older, I'll take ya under my wing and show you a couple tricks o' the trade. Could always use a second man to help run this place."

"When I become the Hokage, I'll be too busy looking after the whole village let alone just one building," Naruto proclaimed proudly, shaking his fist proudly in the air.

Instead of being disappointed, the older man grinned at the kid's stout enthusiasm. He'd heard Naruto use that line hundreds of times in the past, and as repetitive as it should have sounded, he never got tired of hearing it. Pigheaded as the boy could be, he had no doubts that Naruto would make one hell of a Hokage someday. Provided he did some work on the height department and matured a little bit. Hence was the subject of his next question.

"Well, before ya get all high and mighty on me, boy, there's a couple things that you and I need ta discuss." He made sure that Naruto's attention was refocused on the upcoming topic before continuing. "I've been receiving some other complaints regarding the blistering level of noise pollution from this part of the apartment complex. I _know_ it's you because yer the only one renting over in this section," the man added sternly, leaving no room to try and place blame on someone else. Youth was no excuse; the living situation demanded respect for the current residing. He'd been warned several times already to put a damper on the racket where personal exuberance was involved.

But if the owner had been expecting that disarming grin along with the complementary head scratching, he was going to be disappointed. Naruto's frown tingled with accusation. "Noises?" he asked, confused. He hadn't done any shouting, hadn't made any real commotion. "What noises are you talking about?"

The man folded his arms impassively, frowned in return. "That's what I'd like to know. Details of the hubbub conclude that somebody was doing some shouting after midnight. Might have been some scuffling too." His eyes narrowed with false scrutiny. "Any of _that_ ring a bell for ya, boy?"

"After midnight…" Naruto mumbled disbelievingly, trying to mentally regress backwards into that time frame, figure out what he might have been doing those accused minutes. Really, when it came down to it, there was little to think about. He would have been in bed or else talking to Sakura. Where was the scuffling in those two scenarios? "I'm sorry, Oji-san, but I have no idea what you're talking about. Honest, I really don't," Naruto replied, trying to sound more honest then hopeful. Even he knew better then to act like that. "Are you sure you're not getting me confused with somebody else?"

The owner picked at the two-day growth of accumulated stubble on his chin. "I might be a lot of things, Naruto, but, contrary to everyone's belief, deaf ain't one of 'em—'lest not yet. No, little fellah. Somebody was exercising his or her vocal cords in a mighty unpleasant way, and at an hour they ought not be exercised. Especially for us older folks and…coming back to ya now?" he asked, the slip of inquisitiveness on Naruto's face not quite subtle enough to escape his watchful notice.

From Naruto's perspective, the change in expression wasn't meant to be secretive. While probably unintentional, the use of the word 'her' prompted Naruto to consider the possibility that Oji-san might be labeling Sakura and not him as the culprit. That seemed plausible, made more sense. Naruto jogged his memory along certain points when conversing would have taken place, where incident would have given cause for shouting and scuffling. It didn't take long. Two—no, one, only one scene stood out in the end. A seething Sakura stalking him from one side of the apartment to the other bellowing threats while he'd nearly torn the very floorboards apart to try and get away was a very sharp memory indeed. All because he'd felt inspired to create a little mischief. What in the world had he been thinking?

He hadn't, but he was a little smarter now. And yesterday was yesterday and today was today. He'd been fooled, taught a lesson, given a friendly warning, and it was last night. It meant nothing then, meant just as much now. "_Leave it alone. Deal with the present._"

"Oh!" Naruto snapped his fingers, pretended to remember something that had been of trivial consequence. "That was probably when I fell out of bed and landed on some of my gear," he hastily explained, pulling the back of his pajama top up so that the man could see for himself, hoping that some of the marks were still evident on his back. "I don't really remember making that kind of commotion but—" he beamed with a crooked grin, "—I was only half-awake at the time." He fortified the response with laughter to validate that claim. And he _really _hadn't lied…much. Unspecified questions didn't actually require specified answers.

The landlord hunkered over to get a casual look but found there wasn't very much to look at; save for a few spots of superficial redness. He almost felt like scolding the stupid kid for making a ruckus over what was looked to be little more then a couple of scratches. Maybe Naruto would finally learn to keep his living space tidier—

He frowned, studied Naruto's back again with slight interest. Almost as if being blotted out by an invisible cloth, the crimson glaze was readily disappearing at an exponential rate. Not really a surprise. Just like any of the other little cuts and scrapes he'd ever seen, this one would fade in very short time; as characteristic of the seal implemented by the Yondaime.

Yes, he knew all about the existing relationship that Naruto and Kyuubi shared just as well as the next villager did. He'd received his share of injuries that infamous day when him and the countless others had been fighting on the front line in a suicidal attempt to detain the hellish, invincible beast until suitable methods could be administered. There had been success, but the price had been high, devilishly so. It had taken bloodshed and suffering, claimed so many lives of the young and old, had nearly extinguished the fire and will of the village, and had taken the precious union shared between a young father and his newly born son to inspire the decision that had summoned a miracle; a miracle that had resulted in bringing a cataclysmic battle to its bitter culmination. The wizened old fighter had never been able to find the words to try and depict those last moments of heroism—even after a decade's grace…and he doubted that he ever would. The attempts always kept him awake and restless until the hours of morning. It irked the madam to no end.

Minato…he'd been a good leader—a good friend. He, along with his beloved wife, had been sorely missed—_were _missed. But they would forever live on as a reflection in the heart and mind of their boy. That was painfully noticeable…as continually demonstrated time and time again.

"Ya made all that noise…just because ya fell outta yer blasted bed, boy?" he grumped in feigned disappointment, continuing the argument for appearances sake. Even with Kyuubi mending the injury, there was still the issue of noise to contend with. He wasn't about to let the boy off the hook without a little harassment just yet. "Yer lucky ya didn't land on any of that ninja shit ya got in that pigsty mess you call a bedroom." The veteran slapped Naruto's back out of both impulse and easy irritation, stood up. "Be a good day for ya ta get a little housecleaning done, ya know," he suggested, an appropriate underlay of warning mixed in there.

"Yes, sir," Naruto replied, putting on a show of sulking. Not a difficult act to perform. He legitimately _hated_ it when the conversation rolled around in this direction, and it _always _did with Oji-san. There seemed little point in arguing with him this time around though. Far simpler to accept the usual criticism and blame for a little disturbance that he'd helped cause and just quell the whole thing. Better that Sakura remain anonymous and not be lumped into this matter. Hell, the old man would be clamoring for some totally ridiculous investigation if he found out that there had been a girl here. "I'll also work on keeping…_some _of the uproar down," Naruto muttered as an afterthought.

This seemed to satisfy the owner. Busting out in guffaws, he reached out and slapped Naruto on the back again in a buddy-buddy way, nearly sending him sprawling. "Like trying to wash the sports off an ol' leopard—I'm not gonna hold my breath on that one, kid! It's a good thing you and I have the same kinda quirks or else I'd have to think of bumping yer rent up a couple of percentages ta cover the costs for putting together a second layer of insulation.

Lubricated by abrupt inspiration, the gears in his brain started to spin, an idea drawing on a life of its own. "Maybe if I appeal to that good-looking Hokage, she could have it set up ta be a D-rank assignment for a few aspiring pups that need a mission or two under their belts." He rewarded his optimistic approach for cheap labor with a deep drag and a self-congratulating smirk. "Think she'd go along with that?"

Rubbing his eyes, Naruto simulteniously shrugged and yawned. That was a bag of worms he wasn't about to reach into. "No harm in asking," he mumbled against his warm palms, feeling sleepy.

"Yeah," the old man replied dryly, a little disappointed at the boy's ho-hum response. Perceptive as always, he then asked, "Did I getcha outta bed, Naruto?"

Naruto lowered his hands to his hips; thought about putting the man through a guilt trip by falsely insinuating that his grogginess wouldn't be so evident if he'd visited at a more sensible hour (that did seem to be the norm with people lately). "I didn't sleep very well," Naruto answered instead, then hesitantly added, "Kinda had a…rough night. Kept tossing and turning."

"Tossing and turning, eh?" the landlord echoed slowly, fixing Naruto with a solicitous look. "You're not in any pain, are ya? No aches or maladies or anything? Do ya need to see a doctor?"

Surprised by the sudden life in compassion, Naruto bumbled quickly in reply, "No, no, I'm okay," dispersing the appearance of fatigue with a shake of his head. Unless it was absolutely life threatening, he wasn't spending another day in that hospital. "Everything's fine." He struggled to think of what baa-chan had prescribed. "I, um, probably just need some more sleep. It's nothing to worry about. Really." Naruto involuntary adjusted his stance, half expecting the swipe that would catch him between the shoulder blades like a friendly bolt of lightening.

It didn't happen. Whether it was self-conscious or apologetic, the older man opted to pat Naruto on the shoulder instead. "If ya say so, kid, but put yer gumption ta good use and soak them bones in the tub. Don't be deliberately puttin' strain on your body if it ain't needed yet, or else it'll take ya all that much longer to recuperate," he warned, trying to offer up some elementary advice on injury recovery he'd received many, many years ago. He had seen the kid moving around a few times the past few days and had pretty good idea of what he'd been up to. It didn't take a genius; he'd been that age once too.

"I'll do that," Naruto promised, accepting the advice with good grace while silently resolving not to get into a pointless debacle that might lead into a lecture. He'd never be rid of the man then. "Well, if that's everything, Oji-san…" Naruto started to say with the faintest of hopes.

"Hold up there, kid. There was something else I was gonna ask…" The old man frowned in concentration while Naruto felt his stomach churn in sudden flutters of caution. Oji-san was a noted early riser who liked having a cigarette first thing. Surely he hadn't seen—?

"Only trivial, but…dammit…can't remember what the hell it was now," he muttered, sourly annoyed that his short-term memory had failed him, which was happening more often then he preferred. Seemed these days; the only useful thing that ever benefited from the effects of aging were the relics of liquor he'd taken great cares to hide away so to ferment without disturbance. While the description was a little off, the saying '_age before beauty' _definitely fit the bill in that sublime context.

Apparently preoccupied with something else, Naruto relaxed a little while straining not to appear so. For an age of sixty-seven—give or take—the geezer still possessed a rather sharp mind for the most part, along with that innate ability to read people; no doubt cultivated under darker times. If it'd been in the cards, he probably could have prospered as a smooth talking salesman. "Ah, it's just one of those mornings," Naruto affirmed casually, practically ascribing to that of his own. "I'm sure you'll remember it—whatever it is—later when you least expect it."

"Oh, I reckon yer right about that," he answered in full agreement, taking a sudden interest at something on the far wall, "but I ain't about to make that foray, and I think it's about time I took my leave." He finished with his second cigarette and flicked it out to join its fallen comrade. "Gotta keep the cogs greased. Just stopped by to drop off yer stuff and ta see how you were doing." He then jerked a thumb towards the hallway. "But, ya mind what I told ya and get a good dose of bed rest," he said, swiftly assuming the role of someone who'd spent nearly a lifetime declaring arbitration in numerous quarrels.

"Sure, sure," Naruto muttered, unaffected by the heedful warning. He'd already stated that he wasn't going to overly exert himself today. What more did the man want—a written agreement? Signed? Dream on. "Um, could you please thank Oba-san for me?" Naruto suddenly asked, then quickly added, "And please tell her I'll come by to see her either later today or tomorrow sometime, okay?" Remembering his torn up jumpsuit, he said, "Um, I actually have some clothes that are pretty ripped up right now, and I was hoping she could fix them up if she wasn't busy later."

"Sure, kid. Stop on by later and drop 'em off. She'd probably like ya ta visit sometime today anyways." Gathering his umbrella, the landlord made a '_phew_' sound. "Starting to get humid in here. Ya might wanna consider turning down your thermostat so ta let things even out." He reached inside another pocket for a handkerchief he normally kept in reserve, fractionally frowned. He'd found it; but there was something else there too. Smooth and thin and narrow, cylinder-shaped? His curiosity was instantly prickled and he started to pull it out in tandem with the handkerchief, wondering if it was a package of stimulant pills or an old lighter. It'd gotten about two thirds of the way out of his pocket when, seeing the first few written characters and its distinctive color, his mind did a sudden flip. This wasn't a lighter; but a—

"Well, I'm going back to bed then, Oji-san," Naruto announced in a yawn, taking no suspicion in the old man's shift of countenance or actions as he took a few steps back, wanting to conclude this visit. "I'm sure you're real busy with a lot of other stuff and I wouldn't want to take up any more of your time." Naruto tried to sound sympathetic but the toothy, obtuse smile that he copied hardly nullified the comment, and it wasn't meant to either. "I'll just go and get Oba-san's plate for you," he said, starting for the kitchen.

"Sure, kid—oh, say, kid. While I'm here, there was something I wanted to ask ya about. Nothing major, but I was wondering if you might know anything about," the landlord proposed casually.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder. "What's that, Oji-san?" he cheerfully asked without the slightest hesitation.

The old man glanced at the umbrella in his hands, looked over at the wall where the couch he'd given Naruto was stacked against. "Ya wouldn't happen ta know anything about a…certain young girl, would ya?"

Naruto froze in mid-step. Uh oh. "A-a girl you said?" he replied, trying and unable to keep the betraying quiver of suspicion from his voice.

Oji-san scratched the back of his itchy neck with his free hand. "Yeah. I was outside having myself an early morning smoke, when a young lady with real bright pink hair—about yer age—darted by. It was strange 'cause I know every face here and fro but I didn't recognize hers. She looked ta be coming from this direction—" he made a pointing gesture behind himself, "—which was also weird since nobody here has kids, and yer the youngest client I've got residing. I even asked the old battleaxe if she knew anything about it but she said no which makes it even stranger." He folded his arms and chuckled. "That little lady must have had something real important to do this morning, with the way she was movin'. Didn't have an umbrella and wasn't wearing no raincoat or nothin'. Be a real shame if she caught cold."

"Um…oh…yeah," Naruto's words locked within his constraining throat. His breath had practically frozen in his lungs once the mention of hair color had come into conversation. He didn't know what to say. He felt like an absolute clod. "What, what time did you see her at?"

Taking little notice of Naruto's hesitance, the landlord replied, "Oh, real early. Around the five-thirty mark or so would mark it pretty close. It ain't very often I see somebody that young runnin' around at such an early hour which is what really surprised me," he said, scratching the itchy stubble on his face, snickered. "Seemed like a real spiffy looker for a youngin'. Given a couple more years to fill out in all the right spots, she'll be battin' the boys away with a sharp stick," he cackled.

Naruto scowled sharply at the old man, more so for his lewd comments then for mentioning Sakura personally. "I really don't wanna hear about your pedophile fantasies, Oji-san," Naruto put in frostily, dodging the retaliatory, amiable salvo of swipes the old man sent his way, which was a normal exchange of events between the two. "Why'd you wanna know about some girl anyways?"

The landlord continued his assault until landing a strike successfully. "Ya little smart mouth!" the man scolded as he reached inside his pocket. "Reason why I wanted ta know was because she dropped this on the steps when she was makin' her grand exit, ya see," he explained, pulling the object free and showing the boy so that he could look at it for himself. As expected, Naruto took the pen, made a closer inspection.

First glance showed that it was a simple writing utensil—a blue-colored fountain pen that had seen its share of action from extensive writing and finger-use, slightly creased in places; definitely a pen that catered to a woman of letters. He'd seen _that _particular pen in use on several occasions, and on those several occasions tried to emulate her rapid strokes and swift neatness on assignments with his own shameless, sloppy penmanship. Any attempts at copying her answers had always, _always,_ proven to be unsuccessful and, or disastrous. Usually it was both. A second closer look showed the small, discerning characters written along the length of the pen as an inscription.

"Live a life of love…" Naruto mumbled, reading the short string of words discouragingly, tapping it against his thumbnail. "Aw, jeez. Why'd Sakura-chan have to go and drop this?" He huffed, stuffed the pen in his pocket, and moaned out a grumpy sigh. "It just doesn't end! She's never gonna leave me alone now! Why does she have to go and take this stupid pen with her everywhere she goes?!"

"No idea, sonny boy. Probably 'bout the same reason you were carrying around those damned goggles around for the longest time," the landlord interjected, tapping him square on the forehead. "Ya conjure that pretty name off the top of your head, or were ya just makin' up fabrications and hopin' that I wouldn't be the wiser?"

Naruto shook his head, looked away. "I really don't wanna talk about it, Oji-san," he said, a guarded expression on his face. "We're on the same squad, her and I. All she did was come over for a visit and that's all. I didn't say anything because you'd just go and make a big deal out it."

The landlord leaned against the door, arms crossed, a grownup-looking frown consuming his features. "That ain't the point, boy. The fact o' the matter is that yer a minor livin' in a bachelor pad; ya can't just be invitin' young women over whenever ya feel like it. It's against the damned rules. Old lady would be kickin' up one hell of a fuss if she found out you was doin' that," he explained, his rough accent taking on a fatherly edge.

"But…but I didn't invite her over. She came over on her own," Naruto sputtered, his temper quickly seizing hold of him, driving him into annoyance. "Wha…what was I supposed to do? Ignore her and not let her in?" He felt like this was nothing more then a rehashing of the inner diatribe he'd had with his own personal contentions. Having reached a sense of temporary acceptance, Naruto felt more then a little reluctant to touch base with this debacle. His querying eyes seeking pensive justification amongst the owner's authoritarian visage.

The older man continued to stare at Naruto carefully, sizing him up as if there'd made some miraculous change made overnight and was merely trying to assimilate that into what he knew already. He stared…until his lip twitched and he burst out laughing.

"What…what's so funny?" Naruto demanded, taken back by the sudden change in mood, his fists raised in preparation for another assault. He was always unpredictable like that.

The codger slapped rowdily at his knees with his palms. "Ah, kid, kid, kid," he said in between chuckles, shaking his head. "Ya sure do know how to make a guy's day, even when the intent is or ain't there." He sighed, wiped at his eyes with the ratty old handkerchief. "Boy, if yer face turned any redder I'd have to think about tossing a pail of water on you 'case ya burst into flames. Ought to just stick to honesty in the first place; yer a terrible liar."

Naruto stared, a baffled expression on his face. "I still don't…wait a second." Naruto looked at him again, comprehension flooded his eyes. "You _know _her?"

Oji-san smiled. "Course I do. Who do ya think it was that tipped the little lady off when she came by ta see ya the first time around?"

"First time…?" Naruto asked.

"Yep," he replied, putting the cloth back in his pocket and pulling out his cigs, a distant look on his face. "Came by about a week ago, askin' if you were around and which room you were stayin' in. I told her that I hadn't seen ya walk in yet, but that you'd probably be back in a little while. She was real nice and polite about it, said thanks and that she'd wait for you outside." He looked at Naruto. "Ya ever meet up with her?"

Naruto nodded, knowing now what he was talking about. "Yeah, I did," he said, relaxing a little and feeling stupid for trying to _play_ stupid to start with. "She, um, wanted to go out on a date, talk about some stuff that had been going on lately. Most of it had to do with Sasuke and that bastard, Orochimaru, but part of it was stuff I already knew, and she wasn't all that hungry to begin with…so it wasn't all that much of a date."

"Sasuke?" Ya mean the Uchiha prodigy child on your team that yer always swearing about under yer breath? Weren't that the day he left?"

Naruto tried not to roll his eyes, even though it was true. "Yeah. I wanted to walk Sakura-chan home that night, but she said that she had something important to do, said she that she'd be okay. But she must have known that Sasuke was leaving then." He looked as if he was about to add something more…but then shrugged. "Guess it doesn't really matter now."

"That the reason she came over last night?"

Naruto nodded in reply, the old man's candidness not bothering him like it tended to. "I saw her when I was coming home from the training grounds'. Stopped to talk to her for a bit since she seemed lonely and was…also sorta crying." He chuckled at himself, rubbed his mop of hair. "But I figured she'd just tell me to screw off like she usually does after a while, so I just kept the conversation short and didn't try to wear out my welcome or anything. She, um, gets a little temperamental. "

Oji-san tossed his head back and laughed. "Yeah, most women usually are a little peppy under the collar; 'specially the pretty ones. Ain't a hell of a lot you can do there 'cept to give 'em their space so's they cool down. Wouldn't hold yer breath on your girlfriend's personality ever changin' in the long run either," he said using waggling his pinky finger purposefully, wanting to see the kid's bashful smile again.

He was going to be disappointed. Naruto smiled unenthusiastically, looking downcast. "Sakura-chan's not my girlfriend, Oji-san. Just a friend," he said, an undertone of annoyance or dejection in the response. "She doesn't even like me, sir. Sakura just thinks I'm dumb and annoying like most other people do."

"Well with the way ya carry on with yer practical jokes, ain't like ya got that much room to be surprised. There really ain't much benefit to bein' the village ass." the older man chastised him, which was a waste of words on both of their behalf. They'd had this argument several times before.

"It beats being ignored," Naruto shot back, his answer predictable as it was used the same several times before in defense. "It doesn't matter all that much, anyways. She already has a thing for another guy, and he's not even here anymore," he grumbled disconsolately.

"Ya mean yer friend Sasuke," Oji-san corrected, beaming with a crooked grin. "Is that jealousy I'm hearing outta you?" he teased, knowing how pissed off he got when he was teased.

Naruto's face fell—and not in that blown up flabbergasted way that the old man had been hoping for either. He hadn't been paying much attention to the boy's body language, but he could almost now tell there was something unsettled looking in his eyes. It was as if a mask he'd been wearing was beginning to show signs of dilapidation from overexposure to specific variables. Needing sleep? Hell. It almost looked like he'd went and pulled a friggen all-nighter. The parental side of him was almost demanding that he step in, take the boy aside and flat out ask him what was going on with him. He'd never been one to circle the point and wasn't about to change now. And while it was easy to play the role of parent when him and the missus had never had the chance to do so earlier in their lives, he knew that the boy would never truly be theirs. The only line that would ever bring them together was that of their present roles: tenant and landowners. He only hoped that the boy knew that there weren't any barriers when it came to communication, that there would always be somebody around to lend an ear when he needed it.

But a lecture now didn't appear to be of any benefit. Oji-san knew from first hand experience that the boy could only be pushed so far before he would either clam up or issue a war of frenzied words—a trait he'd picked up more so from his mother's side then that of his father. Seemed like people from the land of the whirlpool were a touchy lot, and the boy _did_ treasure his individualism. He frowned thoughtfully, glanced at the cigarettes in his hand, sighed quietly. No, it wasn't his place to say anything, and it wasn't often that the boy confided in him either. Naruto would have to pick his own time and place where that was concerned. Especially if it concerned this young lady—and he was almost certain that it did. Acting on a gamble, the landlord broke the silence. "Well, sonny boy. Much as I'd like ta stick around and shoot the breeze with ya, I got things I gotta get doing."

Naruto broke out of his funk, surprise in his eyes. "You're leaving?"

"Course." He tugged free another cigarette. "A busy man like me ain't got time to be lollygagging, not when there's work to be done. And you look like ya need a strong dose o' beauty sleep ta boot," he said with a friendly wink. "Bring that there plate over later whenever ya find it convenient," he added, pointing at the kitchen. "The missus doesn't exactly need another one of the damned things to plop more of her pastries on. If ya feel up to it, come by later and visit; she'll probably fix ya up something for dinner." He eyed up Naruto. "Alright?"

"Yeah…sure," Naruto replied hesitantly, a strange glow in his eyes. As if a light had suddenly turned itself on.

"Alright," Oji-san repeated straightening up, taking no apparent note of Naruto's change. "I guess I'll see ya around then." He opened the door and turned, began to step outside—

"Um, Oji-san?"

The man paused, looked over his shoulder. "Yeah, kid?"

Realizing that he'd unconsciously brandished his hand like some panicked child, Naruto quickly lowered it in mute embarrassment. He _hated _asking Oji-san for help for anything because it never came without the quintessential pint of wrangling verbiage. It seemed like there always had to be that present strand of string attached as symbolizing that the elderly man was bending over backwards for the troublemaking kid. And it didn't help that the geezer got such a rise out of the whole thing; like a bored king being entertained by a court jester.

And yet, behind all of that, the opportunity remained as golden as ever. Standing before him was a man that had been married for a number of decades and would likely remain that way until death did them part. He'd seen his share of ups and downs, had all the experience in and off the battlefield; and was a veteran of both war and life. He had to have picked up a few significant pointers about the opposite sex over the years that would merit some sort of beneficial use in his own situation with Sakura-chan. Surely there had to be some words of wisdom that he wouldn't mind sharing. While the likelihood didn't seem plausible, the shot was about as good as any. To waste such an opportunity… "How long have you been married, Oji-san?"

Oji-san quickly frowned. "Far too long for muh personal tastes'. Should have traded her in for a newer model a while ago."

Naruto glowered. "Oji-san…."

He waved his hand. "Settle down, sonny boy. The missus and me have been together for around, oh…forty-six years." He nodded confidently at the estimate. "Something relatin' along those lines anyways. Why all the interest?"

Naruto sighed, an almost painful-like sound. Why bother mincing words. "Oji-san…I need s-some advice…a-about, uh, women," he muttered, deliberately averting his eyes before the last word was even out of his mouth.

"Women?!" The landlord delivered the retort with such deliberate snappishness that Naruto visibly flinched from the weight of it. "What in the hell do ya wanna know about women for, ya crazy kid? Don't ya know nothing good ever comes out of mingling with dames'?" He slapped a hand against his forehead. "Tell me you ain't goin' soft in the head or somethin'?"

Face turning scarlet, Naruto shoved his hands deep within the warm pockets provided. "I'm starting to think so, yeah," he spoke softly, almost uncharacteristically so. "I just, um, figured…since you and Oba-san have been together for so long that, well, maybe you'd be able too…" He looked away, seemingly out of words.

"At ease, kid, I was only razing you," he said, lowering his hand, swore suddenly. He'd broken his cigarette in the midst of that little stunt. Not quite torn but bent enough that it was made unusable. "Damn thing was wet, anyways," he grumbled disgustedly in an attempt to salvage his wit. He tossed it out the door. "Guess that didn't work out like I thought it would. So what's goin' on, Naruto?"

Naruto glanced back. "Actually…it's—"

"—Don't tell me it ain't nothing when it's something," the landlord cut him off firmly, determined to maintain the advantage without resorting to flat-out prying. "Now, you've had your skivvies in a knot ever since I got here and it's obviously, from the look on yer silly face, startin' to put a bit of a pinch on those kidneys of yers." He frowned good- naturedly. "What's bothering ya, kid? You and that little lady havin' problems or somethin'?"

Naruto looked at him, swallowed visibly, his hands still hidden. "No. Not Sakura-chan anyways. She's pretty much fine. It's just…it's me. I'm the one who's having problems. I, uh, haven't been sleeping all that great lately. These really bad dreams I've been having—they've been keeping me up lately…but it seemed like they got worse when Sakura-chan was here and I don't really know why, and…and that sounds stupid, doesn't it?" Abruptly, he tossed his hand as if he were throwing aside a piece of scrap. "Actually, you know, it's really not all that important anyways. Shouldn't have even mentioned it to begin with," he said, putting far too much effort into sounding chipper about the whole matter while poking his fingers together, almost as if he were ready to demolish some pimple. "It's probably just from overeating at nights or too much spices in the soups or—"

"That's all well and good, kid," the old man interrupted, rubbing at his knees, "but I think you and I know that gut ache ain't the problem, so I'll tell ya what's what: This sloppin' mess makes misery outta my knees somethin' fierce—can't handle the change in weather, so what I'm gonna do is go sit down on yer couch, have myself a smoke and relax for, say, ten minutes," he explained, drawing up a different measure of protocol that would either make or break this nonsense. "That's more then enough time for you ta brew up a pot o' bean tea and maybe gather up yer thoughts. You go and do that, and I'll be more then happy to hear you out when ya get back for as long as ya needs to." Kicking off his shoes and standing the umbrella against the wall, the old man performed his actions exactly he'd described them: walking over to the couch and sitting in what he deemed his seat while simulteniously pulling out his cigarettes. He offered no additional instructions and issued no warning looks to expedite the situation. All he did was simply sit there, offering a window of opportunity _should_ Naruto capitalize on it. Issuing an ultimatum wasn't really that deep where psychology was concerned but it would do a fine job of speeding up the conundrum that seemed to be affecting Naruto. He'd made a bungled attempt at speaking his mind a minute ago, but whether it was that heedless age of not wanting to subject to experienced erudition interfering or simply out of a state of nervousness—he couldn't say, although the latter appeared to fit the scene. And while Naruto might not be cajoled so easily verbally, exerting a _little_ bit of pressure on him in the right way might just prove to work wonders. "_Wait and see,_" he inwardly persuaded himself. The diamond merely needed to be trimmed, not shattered.

The wait was brief. Walking into the kitchen—seemingly choosing his path to proceed—Naruto took only a few minutes to prepare the landlord's favorite concoction: extra strong coffee. It was a simple drink to make and one that the old man had requested on past visits. Taking the brewing pot and grabbing two cups he walked back to the living room, handed one to Oji-san—who was smoking _another _cigarette, proceeded to fill his cup.

"Thanks, kid," the old man said, blowing steam off of the rim of the cup and taking a measured sip, grunting his approval. "Ah, terrific. Jus' perfect for these rainy days. Exactly what a workin' man needs."

Naruto poured himself half a cup. "Thought you said I didn't make very good bean tea," he reminded.

Oji-san shrugged. "Ya must be getting better at makin' it then. Pretty hard ta screw up makin' bean tea, though," he said while reaching over and butting out his cigarette in an empty ramen container dubbing as an ashtray. "Good thing yer plannin' on tidying this place up. That little lady probably took to the hills after seeing this here disaster," he added in a critiquing tone, gesturing with his right arm. The coffee table was littered with confetti, discarded food packages, and ninja paraphernalia.

Sitting down on the other end of the couch, Naruto didn't feel all that inclined to agree. "She wouldn't care. Besides, it's not her mess to worry about anyways," he said, giving the table a hard nudge with his foot. Some of its contents fell to the floor. Naruto sipped his drink.

The old man looked over, considered making a crack about how coffee stunts a person's growth and that he probably needed all the growth he could muster if he was ever going to be promoted from pipsqueak to giant, but thought better of it. Naruto was perturbed as it was and it definitely seemed like there was something going on upstairs. Pissing the kid off would just make matters worse and create even more alienation. Hell, he probably shouldn't have even brought up the untidiness bit again either. It was just something that came naturally in conversations. The coffee had been specifically made for a reason. He definitely needed to phrase his words a little better and use a stronger sense of tact if this was going to come off a successful discussion between men, especially when it concerned Naruto's feelings. "Y'know, kid," Oji-san murmured contemplatively. "Goin' back to what you were sayin' earlier—I'm not sure if ya know this or not but when it comes to women, us men folk have ta bare down and look out for ourselves and each other when we needs too."

Naruto glanced over, wearily wondering what new angle was going to be played here. "How do you figure that?"

"There ain't anything ta figure out, boy," Oji-san explained, putting it all on the table. "That there is just a common rule between male kinship, and it's existed since the dawn o' time. Basically, it just means that us guys can confide to one another whenever women are getting us down about their problems or whatever the hell it might be—_especially_ women. But that's something ya gotta keep ta yerself, because women seem ta have big ears when they know we're talkin' about 'em. It's very hush-hush deal. Can't have 'em thinkin' we're, we're…" he rapidly snapped his fingers, struggled to think of a word, "sissy-footin'."

"Sissy-footing?" Naruto asked in a speculative tone. He'd never heard that word/term before.

"Yeah, sissy-footin'," The landlord grumbled at first, seemingly ashamed to have said it to start with, then began to chuckle after a few seconds. "The words don't sound very friggen manly, but ya get the general picture."

"Yeah," Naruto replied, involuntary chuckling at the sound of the other's infectious laughter, his stomach muscles unraveling a little. He knew that Oji-san was trying to cheer him up to the best of his ability, was trying to tell him that it was okay to open up without worrying that his pride would take a beating. He also felt pretty sure that the term 'sissy-footing' was a girly term for the phrase 'beating around the bush', and _no _person in there right frame of mind would want to be labeled with that sort of tagline; sure as hell not him. Naruto slumped back against the cushion, sighed expansively. Not him…

These actions didn't go unnoticed by Oji-san. "Kid?"

"She's giving me nightmares, Oji-san," he answered in a tired mumble, his head resting against the cushion, eyes closed in resignation, lip twisted. "I dunno any other way to put it except like that."

"She? Ya mean that pretty little lady?" Oji-san clarified. "That who yer talkin' about?"

Naruto nodded. "Sakura-chan, yeah."

"You was alluding ta something like that earlier too," Oji-san reminded Naruto. "Ya figured yer pretty friend was the one causing a bit o' grief. That what ya said?"

Naruto bobbed his head again, his manner despondent. "That's what I said, yeah. I know it sounds stupid but it really is the truth. From the time I went to bed until I got up this morning, I was having the worst of dreams. I mean, I had a few already this week, but _nothing_ near as bad like this. Almost makes me wonder if she was using genjutsu or somethin' like that on me," he grumped.

Oji-san laughed a little. "Yer a paranoid little fellah, ain't cha? Anyone ever tell ya that? Ya honestly think somebody would wanna take the liberty of playin' with that almond-shaped brain of yers? Sounds a little elaborate, don't ya think?" He leaned forward, rubbed the back of his neck as if some old memory was trying to surface and he was trying to push it back down. "Then again, that genjutsu crap is getting ta be a hot commodity these days. Even the old bat was pretty good with that mental projection stuff back in her younger years."

Naruto's eyes widened slightly. "Oba-san?"

The old man waved his hand. "Yeah, but we're talkin' some time ago. Almost wish she wasn't so sharp mentally on both sides of the spectrum, but that's life. Anyways," he spoke a little loudly to change the subject, "I really doubt anyone would go to the trouble of weaving a mental puzzle for yer own displeasure? _Especially_ a young lady like that, don't ya think?"

He watched as Naruto absently nodded, a faint look of hope flickering across his youthful features—only briefly. Even with its unparalleled logic, Oji-san could tell that Naruto was having a hard time buying it, maybe wouldn't even accept it. He took the pot of coffee, figured that he was going to have to openly delve a bit in order to figure this scenario out. "How 'bout we go and switch gears here a bit," he said slowly, going and pouring himself another cup. "For the sake of humoring an old man's curiosity, what about if ya went and told me a wee bit about yer lady friend—how ya came to know her and all that stuff? That way ya might get a few things off yer chest."

Naruto would have wagered that that last part was just a weak afterthought on Oji-san's part—and he was pretty well just a snoopy old man who loved sticking his nose in other people's business to begin with. The rotten thing was that Oji-san probably knew that Naruto knew that they both knew. Having put that together on his own, Naruto wondered if he wasn't getting just a little smarter after all of this time. He looked over, seen that easygoing smile on the landlord's face that almost made him want to pick a fight for every and no apparent reason; knew that the geezer wasn't going to let him slink out of this now, even if he wanted. Putting his cup on the table, relaxing in his seat, hands in his pockets as a mature gesture—his right wrapped around Sakura's pen—, Naruto cleared his throat and began to speak.

Sipping his coffee leisurely, the landlord listened intently as Naruto—slowly but with increasing confidence—talked in amazingly unordinary detail about his friend Sakura, starting from their first meeting as young children where she'd pretty well taken and bludgeoned him with her then tiny fists up until the present whereas, much to Oji-san's delight, the scenario hadn't apparently changed much over the span of time; so to of her hot and cold personality. It reminded him too much of his own excursions with his significant other. He was pretty sure that Naruto had talked about Sakura before in a quick pitch, was almost certain of it now.

Naruto also spoke candidly about her characteristics: how pretty she was, about how knowledgeable she was in a multitude of areas, how she was also considered one of the smartest students in their entire graduating class. It seemed like he couldn't do anything except accentuate all the good qualities about her—hardly unusual behavior for a young adolescent male these days. Naruto nattered on and on in the same vein for a few minutes, seemingly trying to dig out everything he knew about her from the top of his head. It wasn't until the talking revolved around Sasuke and Sakura's ongoing pursuit with him that Naruto grew apprehensive, somber. He then proceeded to talk about how she always agreed with him about everything, how Sasuke would turn around and treat her with such dispassion and disinterest a lot of the time while this did nothing but add fuel to her ambitions, making her all the more inclined to believe anything Sasuke had to say. He didn't sound completely peeved but his disposition and tone of unhappiness wasn't hard to miss either. Naruto then proceeded to summarize the majority of their missions together in a quick overview starting out with that of their earlier missions up until Uchiha Sasuke had taken his leave which was now days ago. Though it was enlightening to hear about Naruto's progress, the information there was overly superfluous—he'd already heard most of it through past brushes in bits and pieces anyways. He maintained a vigilant silence as Naruto talked about his week, about how he'd been in bed trying to sleep when Sakura had knocked on his door at the most peculiar hour in a total emotional wreck. Hearing him talk about the whirlwind escapade, the landlord could understand why Naruto felt such a need to explain the whole thing in such a circuitous manner in order to reach the crux of his confusion. Oji-san was able to formulate a fairly keen perspective on their unique little triangle by the time everything was finally said and done. "Call me crazy, kid," he finally spoke, "but any young lady who opts ta stay the night at a guy's place she claims _not _ta like don't exactly strike me as a matter of dislike."

The comment warranted a scowl. "Wish you'd quit saying it like that," Naruto grumbled. "It was raining too hard for Sakura-chan to walk home then, and neither one of us wanted the other person to take the couch. I dunno why she made such a big deal over it in the first place."

Oji-san grinned. "Afraid of the lightening? Maybe she wanted ta snuggle up with ya?"

Naruto whirled his head in shock, nearly spilling his coffee. "O-Oji-san!"

He put up his hands in mock surrender. "Take it easy, kid! Don't get uppity now! How d'ya know it ain't the truth?"

"Because it isn't," Naruto shot back. "I already told you that she likes Sasuke. Sakura-chan doesn't like me in any way—_especially _that way."

"I still find that hard ta believe. Ya actually hear her say that to ya?" Oji-san asked.

"Sure did! One time I used '_henge_' to transform into Sasuke so that I could see how she really feels about me. Pretty much turned out how I expected it too," he harrumphed.

Oji-san held a breath in. Naruto wasn't going to like this part so much. "No offense, kid, but a person who goes and eavesdrops on somebody else pretty well deserves ta hear whatever it is they hear. Tryin' ta be sneaky can backfire in a heartbeat." He waited; allowed Naruto a few seconds to digest that comment and let it sink in, figured that Naruto would be more irate over the matter of opinion. Instead Naruto said nothing, offered only a curt nod to register acknowledgement.

Unsure of whether to commit that as a good or bad sign, Oji-san continued placidly: "I ain't pretending ta understand what's goin' on in yer head, but what _I do know_ is that ya can't just turn around and start puttin' people on ignore just because some irrational trickster in yer sub-conscious gets a kick outta playin' riddles with ya. You and I both know that it ain't the right way ta deal with the situation." He then played on Naruto's convictions with a well-placed thrust that struck deeper. "It also ain't the sort of thing that would hold back an individual who'd be aspiring ta be the future Hokage," he said, knowing full well that that would overwrite everything and would get Naruto's attention, and it did just that. The two revered each with simultaneous somber looks. "Ain't I right?" Oji-san asked.

Naruto broke eye contact first; tipped his head back slowly to gaze up at the ceiling as if looking for a message to contradict the clever words spoken, found none, looked down again, daftly realized that he was hunched over the edge of the cushion which had started sometime over the paced course he'd worked out in his acting role of that as a storyteller. Now he plopped back in his seat again, feeling more tired then ever now. "Yeah, you're right. I've got a destiny to fulfill, and nothing's ever gonna change that," he said, some of the fire returning in his voice, but then it fizzled out just as quickly. "I also know that I can't go and blame Sakura-chan for anything. That'd be the easy way out." He looked at Oji-san. "I just—I wish I knew what was wrong with me. Maybe you were right about before. Maybe it is just jealousy."

Pulling out another cigarette and lighting it, Oji-san was considering an alternative when he remembered Naruto's initial question. "How 'bout…I go ahead and let you in on a bit of a secret regarding women?"

Naruto blinked. "A secret?"

Oji-san nodded to confirm the offer. "A secret, yeah. But it ain't the best one and I ain't gonna promise that you'll like how the start of it goes, but I think that you'll feel a little more at ease by the time I'm done," he said, playing it straight on his end. "Still want ta hear me out?"

The answer was almost instantaneous for Naruto. If it helped to figure Sakura out just a little more…what did he have to lose? "Uh, fine, sure. What is it?"

Ignoring the kid's blunt disregard for etiquette and manners, the landlord worked out his pitch in a manner as brutally concise as he could present it. "Okay. Since ya care about this young lady so much, I'm gonna be right upfront about this and tell it like it is. The truth of the matter is that no matter how much ya like her or whatever it is ya do for her, yer never, _ever_ gonna be able ta persuade that little lady ta give yer rouge friend Sasuke a second thought when it comes ta her personal feelings. Ya won't ever be able ta convince her that she's wrong in those regards unless she does that herself, and she ain't ever likely ta do that either if what you've been saying is right on the button." He took a puff, blew it in the opposite direction, and then looked directly at Naruto, seen a pang of disappointment in his eyes. "I ain't looking to burst a bubble here, but that there is reality. Believe me, I've been there myself."

Naruto slowly nodded in grim acceptance. "Yeah…kinda came to that point myself sometime between last night and now myself," he said. "I told her I loved her—but that didn't really do anything except get her confused. Tried to convince myself I wasn't then, but I think I was really just doing that for my benefit more then hers. Hearing somebody else say that now just makes it even more truer." He shook his head in irritation. "All I did was screw things up like usual."

Oji-san made a 'pfft' sound. "Aw, that's ain't nothin' but a pile o' crap, kid, and you know it. You know better then ta blame yerself for doin' what ya knew was the right thing. Ya took that girl into yer home, made her feel welcome, and provided her with a place ta stay for the evening. Hell, if that little lady didn't know ya cared then, she damned well knows it now," he protested, broke off as he felt a sudden tickle in his throat, no doubt a familiar feeling from overuse in cigarette smoking—smoker's cough. He coughed harshly for a few seconds to alleviate the itch, waved off Naruto's hand and bobbed his head to answer Naruto's inquiry of he was okay. He coughed again, cleared his throat and sighed loudly, the murky feeling fading. "Gotta look at the big picture instead of piecing together all them itty bitty little details like a computer," he said, finishing his train of thought.

"Yeah, maybe. You want more bean tea?" Naruto asked, reaching for the pot.

The landlord nodded, cleared his throat and sniffed. "Sure, kid." He waited until Naruto had filled both of their cups and had a good gulp of his drink before continuing on. "But like I was just sayin', ya can't let yerself get worked up just because ya said a few things off the skim of yer noggin. It hasn't bothered ya before, and ya shouldn't let it bother ya now. Same thing goes for those dreams ya told me about too. Ya just have ta bare down; figure out what the hell's causin' the damn things and then deal with it to the best of yer ability. It's just like anything else that has ya on the ropes."

Naruto set the empty pot aside, the kindly spoken words sparking a fresh surge of discouragement that was so well defined that it felt as if a hand was pressing down on the top of his head with renewed pressure. "It's hard to ignore the feeling that I saw her dead in my dream, sir," Naruto confessed. "It's even worse to think that something like that could have been my fault if I weren't careful, or ever lost my temper." He was talking about the fox now. "I know that the Fourth did the only thing that he could do to save the village back then, but do you ever think he ever stopped and asked himself about how the person he was putting the demon fox inside would feel like I do now?"

Oji-san gazed at Naruto sympathetically. He knew that at some point or another Naruto was going to question the Fourth's judgment just as the elders had done at that crucial point in time. But unlike those pinheads, Naruto was very much entitled to that right in terms of figuring out his individuality and where he stood in society. He had always been secretly pleased that Naruto would go to great lengths to get under the villagers collars because that gave him his own unique identity instead of being epitomized as a monster. The kid was no goddamn monster, period. "I think that he did consider your feelings, Naruto," Oji-san said, picking his words carefully. "He was the sort of person who could take one look at an individual and understand exactly what made that person tick. He understood people better then they knew themselves. A lot of folks didn't like that, but that was just how the guy was."

Naruto nodded, as that was all he could do.

"The Fourth was a young man, Naruto, but he was a very shrewd individual who never did things for no reason. I have ta believe that he picked you because he knew that you'd grow up ta love and protect the village just as much as he did when he was alive. Ya also gotta remember that every person ya see have their own personal lot ta deal with. It may not amount ta what you have ta deal with, but it is somethin' that keeps 'em on their toes. Ya keep that in mind next time yer feelin' down about yerself." He didn't include the fact that Naruto was probably the only person who could suppress the power of the fox. It wouldn't do well to get him thinking about it too much. He slurped up the last of his coffee and put his cup down again. "As for yer friend, I don't think there's much I can do for ya there. Ya said she left some kinda note for you?"

Naruto sighed helplessly. "Yeah. She left it on the nightstand before she left at whatever time you'd seen her. Said that she wants to take me out for dinner today. I remembered hearing her saying that when I was going to sleep, but I didn't think she was serious about it. She's sort of a cheapskate and hardly ever does things like that. _Especially_ not for me."

Oji-san shrugged. "Well that's sure nice of her. Maybe she's doin' that ta try and make amends for keeping ya awake. That ain't so out of the ordinary, is it? I'd also give ya a chance ta tell her about that dream-crap stuff that's bothering you."

Naruto immediately shook his head at the very idea. "No way. I'm not telling her a single thing about that." He shook his head, said in a lower voice. "I don't want her to start worrying about me. Hell, I don't even feel comfortable about seeing her right now. I'd rather she just leave me alone for a few days until I feel better."

"Yeah, but, kid, you gotta remember something here: you and Jiraiya-sama are gonna be leavin' on that odyssey of yers in the near future, and then you'll have all the time ya want ta goof around," Oji-san reminded him. "Ya don't think you'll be walkin' around sometime or another and won't start ta miss some of yer friends? _Especially _that little lady?"

Naruto huffed, hated it when the old man was in one of those I-told-you-so moods. Yeah, he knew all of that. He also felt pretty sure that Ero-sennin would have told him the same thing if he were this conversation with him. He almost wondered again if Oji-san and Ero-sennin both belonged to the same kin. "So, what should I do then?" he grudgingly asked.

Oji-san folded his arms around his chest. "Simple. Ya go and be the bigger man."

Having no idea what that meant, Naruto frowned expectedly. "Bigger man? What's that mean?"

The old man smiled assuredly. "It's a pretty simple concept that speaks for itself. Sums up everything I've been goin' over since ya brought up this discussion. It basically decrees that ya act selflessly in selfish times. That means ya take all of yer problems and hang-ups, roll the entire thing up in ta one big ol' clay ball, toss the bastard on some empty shelve in the corner of yer mind and that's that. Ya do yer best ta let bygones be bygones for the present and then work things out later on."

Naruto's expression didn't change. "You mean to say that I should just pretend that everything's okay?"

"Well…almost but not quite. Puttin' it in another light, it means that ya take on an understanding role in times when situations ain't so understanding. See, most people yer age hit that selfish point in their lives when they're expectin' everything given' for the price o' nothin'," he explained factually. "That sorta thing goes on until the end of their adolescence where they fundamentally start ta realize that they have ta give of themselves before they can get where they have ta. Of course, this also applies ta you but, because of yer living conditions and that ya know they ain't gonna hand the title of Hokage over ta just anyone around the block, you already have a better grasp of that concept then most people in yer age group probably do."

His particular brand of insight made Naruto squirm in his seat. He definitely preferred the geezer's nitpicking badgering over the unaccustomed praise any day of the week. Naruto groaned. "Aw, jeez. Why'd ya have to go and put it that way?" Naruto groaned.

Oji-san laughed. "How the hell other way would ya like it put ta ya—with a ribbon and wrappin' paper? Face it there, kid: You've become reliable, and people have come ta realize that about you. Ya might also think of it as takin' yer first steps on the road ta becomin' respectable. That sometimes means doin' things that'll have ya feelin' uncomfortable on the inside, but need ta be done because they help another person in need; even if they don't like ya. Nobody said that bein' the bigger man was an easy task, but puttin' yer own personal feelings aside in order ta do the right thing for the greater good is important _and_ is also one of the most crucial parts o' being an Hokage.

Knowing that Oji-san had him by the jewels, Naruto felt a lump gathering in his throat. He gulped, felt some of the mass leave his shoulders, only to be replaced with another weight just as equal staggering. He'd always thought of himself as a valuable member of the village only in his fantasies, but to hear Oji-san put it in that perspective from his own hard-earned introspection was downright debilitating, and he _would_ have to include the whole Hokage bit again. It was worse then having a carpet pulled out from underneath your feet and experiencing reality with a painful bloody nose. It almost felt like he'd aged ten years over the course of a morning. Naruto touched his own face to make sure there wasn't any particular stubble or any traces of facial hair outlining his cheeks.

"What the hell are ya doin', kid?" Oji-san asked, puzzled. _Nothing _ever escaped his notice. "Got a headache or somethin'?"

"Uh, yeah," he said, dropping his hand and putting the cup of cooling coffee on the table with the other. He rubbed his nose. "I was just thinking of those stupid dreams again, and how I need to deal with them," he lied.

Oji-san smiled tiredly, propped himself off the couch and stood up. "Ah, kid, kid, kid," he groaned, the bones in his knees popping. "Yer gonna drive yerself crazy with all that preposterous bullshit yet if ya ain't careful." He gazed down at Naruto, a kindly expression on his face. "But don't forget: Dreams are made up of dreams and reality is made up of reality. Learn how ta filter what's real and what ain't; you'll land yerself in a heap o' grief if ya start ta confuse the two." He stepped over to where Naruto was sitting and placed a sturdy hand on the boy's shoulder. "In other words," Oji-san added, "don't let one part of ya decide what's important and what ain't. Make sure everything's in a place o' symmetry—means yer mind and yer heart—before ya commit yerself ta resolution. Ya understand a little bit of that high-falutin' talk…or not really?"

Puckering his lips and nodding for pacification's sake, Naruto relayed the jagged words to himself, making a conscious effort to understand them—to _really_ understand them. Maybe it was Oji-san's use of lackluster pronunciation, but he found that it was _far _easier to decipher the meaning of what _he_ was saying rather then somebody else spouting off a confusion explanation using fancy words (his vocabulary _was_ rather limited, even for a boy of his age) quoted out of some stupidly thick dictionary. He also found it more then a little strange that Oji-san, a man he'd basically blacklisted when it came to asking for any sort of help, was now the one who'd been lending an ear and acting as a voice of reason for the last several minutes. Not like he hadn't asked for that, but it was strange to hear him talk without that sharp element of brusqueness to taint the conversation. He almost had to wonder if this was even the same person who ran the place.

"Are ya noddin' for the sake of noddin', or d'ja actually get any of that?" Oji-san repeated, mock serious. He squeezed down on Naruto's shoulder, but not enough to hurt.

Choosing not to react to the vice-like grip, Naruto, without looking up, said, "I get all that. Really, I do. It's just…its still not easy…" he replied impishly, unable to come up with any words to mask the juvenile weaknesses he really shouldn't have been displaying. He was certain that Oji-san was going to clock him over the head now for behaving like such a wimp; was maybe even welcoming that on some level.

The old man wouldn't oblige him. Scooting Naruto over instead, Oji-san sat down next to him, stuck his feet up on the table and slung an arm over Naruto's shoulders. "Yeah, kid. I know. I know that things ain't always so simple ta deal with when the chips are down and ya feel like ya ain't got anyone ta cast yer line o' faith in. It's just as much a bastard when things are goin' on around you and ya ain't got any control over 'em. It's like ridin' a bucking horse and yer tryin' ta get a reach for the reins, only ta find someone took 'em off as only a person with all the essential ingredients needed ta makin' a complete asshole could do." Oji-san cackled at the non-discretional use of words. He didn't care.

Even Naruto, gloomy as he felt, cracked a smile at that. "You think everyone is one of those."

Oji-san chuckled again, scratched his toe with his other foot. "Well, I was jus' sayin' that ta boost up yer morale a bit. The point I'm makin' now is that life is full of times and moments where things happen that are beyond our means o' control. Not just waltzes in la-la land either, but events and situations where people do things that ya don't expect 'em ta do. Ya remember what I was tellin' ya earlier? About how people have there own personal baggage ta deals with?"

Naruto nodded.

"Well this just falls right in place with all that. At times that weight gets around ta puttin' so much stress on the shoulders that it makes a person want ta just toss it on the damn ground. I think that's what might have happened ta yer friend Sasuke." He shook his head. "I'm not sure how much ya know about it, but that whole Uchiha massacre involving that kid's older brother was a real bad deal. I mean, a person can only imagine what was going through yer friend's mind after seein' the death and destruction of his parents, friends and relatives; and at such a young age."

Naruto could imagine quite a bit. He'd heard about the Uchiha massacre, knew that Sasuke's brother Itachi was the one who'd orchestrated the whole thing, and that he was also the man whom Sasuke had flat out sworn to kill. Having witnessed Sasuke trying to battle against somebody who was far superior to him in every way and then being unable to singe that foe with the very anger that burned so deeply but so righteously bright inside of him seemed justifiably reason enough to spur such a bleak and self-seeking odyssey. "He talked about killing someone when we had our first meeting as a squad," Naruto commented. "I just never thought he was referring to his older brother though."

Oji-san shook his head gravely. "Ta hold such a deeply rooted grudge at such a young age…it's a horrible thing, Naruto. Revenge can turn a good person into just as much a monster as the one their seekin' if they ain't careful. And bein' an orphan makes the situation even grimmer because he ain't got any parental figures ta try and talk him outta acting upon his own inclinations, save for his teachers."

"I tried to knock some sense into him," Naruto muttered, the memories of their violent fight coming to light, "but there wasn't anything I could do."

Oji-san rubbed his jaw uncomfortably. "No, and there probably ain't much yer gonna be able ta do for him in the future either. A journey like that don't really invite room for derailment…or company. No, the only real thing ya can do fer yerself is ta regroup from yer losses, accept what's happened, and then find some way that'll allow ya ta make peace with everything." His voice turned quiet. "And if ya feel like ya can't manage that fer yerself, manage it fer that little lady then. I think she's the one who really needs that sense o' assurance."

Naruto felt his mouth go dry again. "I don't…know if I can really do that, sir. Not right now, not until I—"

"—I already told ya that ya can't put people on ignore, Naruto," he said, cutting him off. "It ain't right." He then stopped, tried to think of something to say that wouldn't contradict any of his earlier words, though of Naruto's feelings for the girl. "I know that givin' yer heart ta somebody only ta have it sent back ta ya ain't an easy thing ta deal with, but, unfortunately, that's the way life works. Ya just can't be goin' and feelin' sorry fer yerself over things that ain't within yer control. You'll make yerself mighty miserable doin' that. And besides, maybe one day off in the future, she'll turn around and suddenly realize that yer just the man she's been lookin' for this whole time."

Naruto shook his head out of a habit in stubbornness. "I really doubt that, sir. Besides, I think I'm through with chasing after people for a while," he deduced. "Right now I just want to recover and get better so that I'll be ready whenever Ero-sennin comes back."

Oji-san nodded, allowing the argument to stand. It was clear that Naruto didn't want to discuss his friend's particular traits, quirks or issues anymore, and he couldn't really be blamed for that. He'd provided the kid with, hopefully, a substantial amount of advice, but how he chose to deal with all of this was really, in the end, up to him. He wanted to further reassure Naruto with a reminder that he was only twelve or thirteen (he wasn't sure of the age) that there was surely a fine young lady waiting for him somewhere in the brink of his future, whether it be the girl of his dreams or somebody with an equal amount of presence to set the boy's heart afire. But perhaps that was better left unsaid.

Instead, he gently admonished him by saying: "Everything will work itself out in the end, Naruto. Whatever needs ta happen…will eventually transpire on it's own accord." He then patted Naruto on his shoulder. "I know yer a little uptight about how things are goin' right now, but that confusion don't change the fact that yer a good carin' person. Ya worry more about other people then ya do yerself, and I'm very proud of ya fer takin' that sorta approach. It feels good ta know that yer gonna be pavin' the way fer the upcomin' generations." He smiled broadly at Naruto, cackled merrily. "But then what does an old fart like me know about anything?" Shaking his head and bringing his feet up off the table, he planted them on the ground and stood up with a grunt, hiding no convictions that even that simple task was a laborious chore for his decrepit bones. Getting old certainly did bite the big one. He looked down at Naruto, said, "But, I should probably get goin', kid. The missus is gonna be wonderin' where I've gone ta and I don't think she'd quite believe me if I explained that you and I were havin' a chat."

Still reeling from Oji-san's kind words of adulation, Naruto was slow to reply, "Uh, yeah, I suppose. Um, but could you please not tell her about…any of this stuff. I really wouldn't want her to start worrying about me or even give her cause to worry about me. It's…well—"

"—A conversation between men," Oji-san finished for him, hopefully summing up what Naruto had probably intended to convey, though it probably would have been through the use of misshapen, stuttered words. He concealed a smile. Even when it wasn't on purpose, Naruto could be a real funny kid at times. "But yeah, I sure do understand what ya mean. Ya get her panties in a twist and then we're both gonna have a set o' problems ta deal with. So, I promise ya that yer fears, yer anxieties—there are all safe with me."

Naruto nodded, felt his shoulders flutter with a sense of relief that he hadn't been expecting. "Thank you, sir…for everything. I don't feel completely relieved, but I sure as hell feel a lot better then what I did thirty minutes ago. To be honest, I wasn't really expecting you to help me out with all of this," he explained to him hesitantly.

Oji-san shrugged. "I understand how ya feel. Iruka-kun's always been one of yer closest friends so I know that it's easier ta confide in him when ya have a problem that needs solvin'." His face took on a slightly perturbed expression; a look that was directed more at himself then Naruto. "I actually appreciate that you were willin' ta confide in me since I sorta regret not bein' around more often when you were just a wee fellah. Now yer taken off with Jiraiya-sama fer parts unknown in what'll probably be a short time…" He paused, briefly looked over at the window, frowned as if there was something that needed to be fixed, trying not to give strength to the puerile impression that he was averting his eyes from Naruto's curious face. It was almost that assumption that gave him means to chuckle. "But I know that yer gonna be in the best o' hands with Jiraiya-sama by yer side. His methods may be a little unorthodox but he won't steer ya wrong—'least not most o' the time," he added good-naturedly.

Naruto's smile reflected that promise. "Yeah, he's already been teaching me a few things. It hasn't been easy but I think I've been making a bit of progress." He shrugged, an almost modest-looking movement. "I'm hoping so, anyways."

Walking over to the porch, Oji-san muttered under his breath. "You'll do fine, kid. I know ya will." He went to put his shoes on, turned and said in full voice, "Oh, yeah! Since we're on the subject, there was somethin' else I was gonna ask ya ta do fer me—actually it's more for the missus's sake."

Standing up and walking over to the porch as well, Naruto's curiosity peeked. "What is it?"

Oji-san tossed his pitch. "Well, since yer gonna be buggerin' off eventually, I was wonderin'…if—well, ya wouldn't mind findin' somebody that would be willin' ta keep yer apartment tidy while yer on hiatus. Normally I wouldn't really ask ya such a question since I know that the ol' lady would be more then happy ta do that, but her legs and hips have been givin' her grief lately and I'd sorta prefer that she didn't have ta make a bunch of trips up and down the steps if she can avoid it, ya know?"

Naruto frowned in concern. "I didn't know she was having health problems."

Oji-san made an offhand gesture. "Well, ya know how optimistically stubborn she gets about things. It ain't like she's gonna come up here and just lay all her problems on yer lap; that just ain't the way she operates. Especially when it concerns her baby boy," he said, pointing a leering finger at him.

Ignoring the comment and gesture, Naruto scratched his head. "But who would I get to do something like that?" he asked.

The landlord shrugged. "Well…I was thinkin' that if ya get everything straightened out with yer cute little lady friend, maybe ya could try and persuade her ta come up once in a while and do a little housecleaning." He smiled. "She seems like the sorta person who lives a tidy lifestyle."

Naruto frowned in disapproval. "Yeah, right. She'd tell me to shove that idea up my ass. Plus, she's not the kind of person who does anything for free."

Oji-san pondered that a moment. "If she agreed, I'd be willin' ta pay her somethin' fer her troubles. It wouldn't be all that much, but—"

"How much?" Naruto demanded.

He chuckled in amusement. "That'd be somethin' her and I would have ta discuss at her convenience. I'm pretty sure I could make it worth her while though."

Naruto visibly scrutinized the old man. "Are you just saying all of that to get me to talk to her or are you actually telling the truth?"

Oji-san rolled his eyes. "Hells bells, kid! I ain't tellin' ya to move mountains or anything! All I'm askin'—and if yer comfortable about it—is if she, or somebody else, would be willin' ta do a little upkeep on yer apartment while yer away. It ain't even a big deal if it doesn't happen, but I would shore be grateful if ya _could _find someone."

Naruto sighed, dug the heel of his foot against the floor. "What about Oba-san? What'll she say?" he protested.

"That's somethin' I can deal with," he said assuredly. "She might not like it at first, but I know her and I know she'll appreciate the help in given time." He leaned forward, whispered in conspiracy, "And this might just work out in yer favor, too. If Sakura-san and the missus strike up a friendship, maybe you can score a few brownie points outta the deal."

Naruto's eyes widened. "How the hell do you figure that?"

"Well think about it, kid. If those two get together for tea and they start exchanging stores about you, maybe somethin' subliminal will kick in and then she'll actually start ta miss ya. They might not be the best o' stories, but then every little bit helps. Believe me, kid, this'll work out fer ya big time." He stopped to think for a few seconds. "In fact, both of us could benefit outta this," he added additionally. "While she'd be getting some company for visiting, I'd be able ta get more work done without worryin' about her bein' alone. I might even get in more time for some _extracurricular activities_." He chuckled mischievously. "Definitely wouldn't mind samplin' some of those vintage bottles I've been keepin' in storage over the years." He broke off his laughter and shot a tentative grin at Naruto. "But, whether any of that happens or not is yer decision."

Naruto mulled over that, decided that it wasn't worth getting into a tizzy over now. "I'll think about it," he spoke tolerantly, heartily hoping that this wasn't going to turn into another adamant debate. He'd really meant it when he said he didn't want to chase after this issue anymore. "Just don't push it," he warned, rebuffing any further attempts.

Oji-san's face cascaded into a wide, not so much triumphant grin. "Sure, kid. That sounds just fine and dandy! It ain't somethin' ya need ta figure out now, but I shore would appreciate it if ya would give it just a bit o' thought. That's all I'm askin' fer," he said soothingly. The smile remained on his face as he turned to do his coat up and retrieve his umbrella.

Naruto frowned incredulously at Oji-san's back, unable to help but wonder if that idea had _really_ been in the works for some time now or if he'd just drawn it up on the fly after Sakura-chan's name had been brought up. He'd never physically seen Oba-san having all that much physical discomfort, certainly not enough to request a concession of the type Oji-san was asking for, but he could certainly respect his concerns if that were the case. Given the fact that they weren't asking for any room and board rent or additional monies for reserving his current room until he returned, the presented compromise could hardly be deemed unreasonable. And he simply loved that women to boot. He'd gladly stack boulders over his shoulders until she voiced her concern, and then he'd toss them away and laugh as the lecture would inevitably begin. _Naruto-chan_, she sometimes called him. She was probably the _only_ person that was allowed to get away with calling him that. He was going to miss that while he was away. And her. Even Oji-san.

Naruto rubbed his weary eyes, blurring his vision. He was definitely going to have to put some thought into this idea, if only just to do a little dusting and attend to the plants. Maybe…

"Well, I'm gonna take muh leave then if everything's copasetic with ya," Oji-san announced, raised a critical eye. "Ya are okay with everything, _right_?"

Naruto bobbed his head in quick vertical swipes, paused, held up his hand, and nodded a little more slowly to exhibit an impression of sincerity. "Yeah, I'm—I'm good, thanks. I, uh, just needed to get a bunch of things off my chest, and it probably helped that there was somebody around to listen and offer some sort of an opinion. I'm, uh, just real sorry that you had to put up with all of my complaining and whining this whole time," he apologized, a genuine look of abashment consuming his young face.

"Well, I ain't much of a psychologist so muh time spent on issuing unqualified advice is pretty much free. Reckon I've never been much of a teacher, but I have been around the block for a long time now." Stepping forward and taking Naruto by his shoulders, Oji-san peered down at him, his wrinkled face filling Naruto's line of vision. "I was maybe a few years older then you when I headed up muh squad leader about a few things regardin' women. There was this young lady we had on our platoon. She was real smart, funny, vivacious and one hell of a looker. I'd had a thing fer her for the longest damned time and I'd finally worked up the nerve ta let her know how I felt, but…she turned me down." The old memory caused him to smirk. "On that day, kid, I swear that I could feel my heart crumbling down like a pile o' miserable bricks. She had the hots for the other guy on our team, ya see. He was yer typical Adonis: a guy who possessed every thing from brains down ta skills and had everything in between. He was a genius, and women flocked ta him like a pack o' wild geese. I tell ya, bein' in his shadow was a very hard thing ta deal with, _especially _for a guy like me who was pretty much a flunky at basically everything. It shore made for a miserable stint during muh early days."

"Sorta like me and Sasuke," Naruto said in slight surprise. He'd never heard this story before.

"Well, somthin' like that," Oji-san said. "Anyways, on account o' that guy hoggin' the spotlight, and with muh feeling's still stingin' from rejection, I went and headed up the squad leader and basically told him how I felt about a bunch o' the things that were goin' on—basically doin' the same thing that you just did now. He was the type o' guy that always had somethin' ta say, no matter how strange the situation was. When I was finished speakin' muh mind, he smiled, took me by the shoulders—just as I am with ya know, and gave me some of the best advice I've ever received. Ya wanna know what he said?"

Naruto swallowed, nodded for him to proceed.

"He said: '_Think about yer anxieties in terms of a shadow. People that walk this world have their own individual shadow. Worryin' about what another person thinks of you is the same as worryin' about the shadow they're projecting, which is complete foolishness. If ya live yer life with no excuses, you'll never have ta worry about havin' regrets.'_ After that, he simply grinned and walked away."

Naruto appeared nonplussed. "Did you understand what he was saying?" he asked.

Oji-san shook his head. "Not at first. But a few weeks later, we found ourselves caught up in a life or death struggle with a group from the stone country. Muh teammates and I were fightin' back when Shugo-kun, the guy who'd been revered as a genius, slipped up a jutsu and took a kunai right to the chest, knockin' him unconscious and in real heap o' trouble. I couldn't believe it, but I also grew up in that same instant. I had ta better myself, make sure that I was fully capable of defending the people around me and not always assume that they were gonna be on the ball. It also made me realize that when ya go and put people on pedestals, whether you like 'em or not, sooner or later that person is gonna fall from there." His eyes refocused on Naruto's face. "And they will. Havin' trust in people is important, but it's even more important that ya carry yerself with confidence so that yer capable of handlin' things when situations go sour."

"I…I will," he promised, heeding the old man's story and additional advice. It was obviously something important to him since he had chosen not to bring it up until just now.

"Good." He looked Naruto over, said, "Ya sure yer feelin' okay? Would ya like ta come downstairs for a bit, have somethin' ta eat? I'm sure the missus would be more then happy ta fix ya a meal."

Naruto shook his head no. "That's okay. I'm probably just going to have some cupped ramen and then go back to sleep for awhile."

Oji-san made a sour face. "How the hell can ya eat that shit?!" he demanded, giving Naruto's shoulders a tiny shake before releasing him. "Yer gonna get a good dose o' worms from eatin' that dried crap day in and out!" It was clear they'd had this futile argument on more then one occasion with the landlord coming out on the losing end. That fox-like grin of Naruto's could practically take him through any situation unscathed. He knew that the kid was going to be just fine. Playfully ruffling his hair once more, Oji-san stepped back, raised his hand in farewell. "See ya around then, kid." He opened the door, took his umbrella, turned to leave—

"Oji-san!"

Ignoring the feeling of déjà vu, he stopped, glanced at him peripherally. "Yeah?"

Naruto paused. "Y-your teammates: that guy, Shugo-san, and the girl. What happened to them?"

Oji-san smiled sadly. "Shugo-kun died in combat several years ago. That sly bastard, he wore a smile on his face up until the very end of his life. He would turn out to be one of my best friends. There ain't a day that don't go by where I don't miss him just a bit."

Naruto sighed. His fate would have to be a sad one. "And the girl? What happened to her?"

This time he smiled wolfishly. "Simple. I married her. Make sure ya give that pen back ta yer friend, and tell her ta mind the vocal levels as well—if she decides ta show up, that is." Then, without saying another word, he turned and ambled away into the pouring rain, shutting the door behind him, leaving Naruto standing in the porch, mind reeling in a bewildered stupor. He could scarcely believe it. They…they had both been on the same squad? Oji-san and Oba-san? Both of them? He couldn't believe it! It seemed almost unprecedented. Surely he'd only said that to try and make him feel reassured.

And yet…the way he'd grinned. Naruto padded up to the door, opened it, peeked around the corner but the duffer had already disappeared off the landing. He quickly glanced to the other side out of reflex—sparked out of past calamities—but there was nobody standing there either, no one to tease him. Nothing except the sound and feel of pelting rain, unrelentingly gusting against his face, hairs, clothes and anything else in its path. It seemed like scuba gear was almost needed to trek through this. He backpedaled hastily into the sanctity of his apartment and shut the door, looked down, noticed a few miniscule spots of water on the floor. Using his slippers, he wiped up the water until most of it had virtually disappeared. Once that was done, he then folded his arms, mildly frowned in thought. What the hell was it he'd said about Oba-san? Something about when she was younger…?

"_Then again, that genjutsu crap is getting ta be a hot commodity these days. Even the old bat was pretty good with that mental projection stuff back in her younger years."_

Going over the words in his head, Naruto racked the bottom of his tongue with his teeth. Oji-san, being married or not, probably wouldn't have brought up a thing like that unless he hadn't worked closely with her on more then one occasion in the past. Choosing to be disbelieving about it was one thing, but the shred of sense it made that they had been on the same team just couldn't be dismissed. And, really, why would the guy even have cause to lie anyways? There was no reason for it.

No, it had to be true. Joking instances aside, Oji-san had never been much of a liar; he was a straight shooter when it came down to it all. Even an absolute stranger would probably have drawn up the same conclusion after just listening to him talk for a few seconds. That brazen nature and brutally outspoken persona almost presented little room to think otherwise.

Naruto worked his jaw from side to side in frustration, went over and adjusted the thermostat accordingly. Okay, so they'd been teammates. Fine, he could accept that easily enough. He could also accept Oji-san's story about how he'd been a bit of a goofball himself until desperate situations had forced him to start acting like an actual ninja. Knowing that he'd faced similar conditions and had come out successful to some degree…shouldn't that have been something to take hope in? Yeah, it should have. So why was that such a vicious task at the moment? Was it just him or was there something else that needed to be addressed? For everything said, Oji-san hadn't really given him all that much direct insight to work with where the nightmares were concerned. But being that he worked with his hands and dealt more with physical problems rather then mental, it didn't seem likely that he would have been able to help him in the first place. That whole '_grin and bear it_' saying had probably also been meant to be his prescribed method of dealing with that sort of torment.

And unfortunately, that's probably what he was going to have to do. Putting any more thought into it was going to make him even more bone weary then he was already feeling. And besides, he was fully awake now. It's not like they could actually hurt him physically. He needed, _needed_, to keep that all in check. Other wise his psyche would take even more of a beating then what it should have.

Naruto's gut started to rumble, and not in a 'make for the bathroom' kind of way. Having gone past his routinely time period for having breakfast, his stomach had abandoned all hopes of subtlety and was now sparing no expense in bringing that fact into play. Pinching up his sleeves and adjusting his housecoat, Naruto grabbed the cups and brewing pot, walked towards the bathroom and shut the fan off, then proceeded into the kitchen, early morning hunger urging him forward. Setting the coffee pot aside, he dumped the cups in the sink, turned on the cold faucet and reached for the kettle, Sakura's warning flashed in his head but he paid it little caution. Just as he'd previously proclaimed: _Nobody _was going to tell him when he could and could not eat. Not now, not ever. Far as Naruto was concerned, he wasn't even going to answer that door again. He filled the kettle with water until he estimated it was half-full and then placed it on a burner, turned the element on via a dial on the stove.

Waiting for the water to boil, Naruto found himself thinking again about Oji-san and what he'd said about his teammates, more specifically his friend, Shugo-san. Having being described as a genius, Naruto pondered what sort of placement he'd had within the village, which clan he'd belonged too, what kind of a person he'd turned out to be before he'd died. Naruto almost wished that Oji-san had brought that up sooner so that he could have quizzed him a little. He'd already assumed that the landlord had had his reasons for using such vagueness regarding his martyred friend (Naruto assumed he'd died a martyr). But there was something about that competitive friendship that filled him with an indistinguishable sense of something. It wasn't quite relief, wasn't quite hope; it more or less lurked in between the two, but it relieved him just the same, made him feel optimistic that maybe things would just turn okay. At least momentarily.

"Where ever he is, I hope Sasuke's okay, too," Naruto said wholeheartedly, trying to make a little light out of the situation. There was no way he'd ever fall into Orochimaru's hands without having some kind of ulterior plan in mind. He had to assume so anyways. Either way, Sasuke had chosen to subject himself to that particular plight of chaos and, rightly so, would have to deal with it on his own. It was that simple.

Stepping over and opening the pantry cupboard, Naruto reached inside and randomly dug out a cup of dried noodles made from his favorite choice name brand, having really no preference as to what flavor he was having. He tore off the wrapping and unpeeled most of the top cover, withdrew the seasoning and dried vegetables packets, ripped them both open and dumped the contents into the soup cup. His timing was nearly impeccable for no sooner had he tossed what he didn't need in the garbage the water in the kettle began to hiss and boil. He removed the pot off the burned, poured the hot water amongst the mix, resealed the top and stuck a light weight—a package of rice seasoning—over it to keep the steam from escaping, and prepared to wait those three grueling minutes for the soup to properly cook—always the hardest part when it came to cup ramen. Setting the kettle down on a cold element, Naruto walked over to the fridge and retrieved a carton of milk partially full, looked at the expiry date and winced. Three days overdue. Ugh.

Well there was no way he was getting the runs, especially not after the last time. He took the milk over to the sink and dumped it down the drain. It hadn't deteriorated enough to reach lump form but he thought it better not to take any chances. He'd have to go and buy some later today at the market; maybe a few other things too after the fridge got cleaned out. Always something to do. He headed back to his nearly ready soup, went and fished out a pair of disposable chopsticks, sighed. Hell, he was almost out of those too. He'd have to start making out a grocery list for the stuff he needed instead of just going to the store and buying whatever suited his fancy. He placed the sticks on the counter, reached over and took the makeshift weight off the lid of the cup, peeled back the skim of paper—

_**'KNOCK! KNOCK!'**_

Naruto moaned disparagingly, glared at the entrance door. "Oh, what was it now?!" he quietly growled, giving in to early morning crankiness. It didn't seem to matter if he was trying to sleep or whether he was trying to have a simple meal, somebody was always showing up to interrupt, to deprive him of his most basic needs. Dammit. He knew that wasn't the case most of the time, only lately. That still didn't mean it wasn't getting any less frustrating. He placed the ramen and chopsticks on the table, went to get a glass of water—

**'KNOCK! KNOCK!'**

The repetitious sound made Naruto frown all the harder. He could already tell from the sound alone that it was Oji-san again, probably wanting to harass him about something else he'd otherwise forgotten to get off his mind the first time around. If he was going to ask him about this whole Sakura-cleaning-his-apartment idea or else put him on the spot about anything, he'd be disappointed. Naruto hadn't come to any sort of decision on that and wasn't likely too for the next while either. All the more reason not to answer the door. He could only hope that he'd let matters slide, take a hint and just leave. Fat chance but whatever. Getting that glass of water, he returned to the table, prepared to eat, suddenly stopped short, heightened hearing catching something else. He thought he could hear something else…a scratching noise of some sort. Something like metal rubbing on metal—

"You stubborn old prick!" Naruto abruptly exclaimed, pushing away from the table and running back into the living room. Abandoning all courtesy of knocking the door, it seemed that Oji-san was now resorting to opening the door via his master key. What the hell was so important that couldn't wait until later? Christ sakes anyways. He was half way to the door—running on a hardwood floor in slippers was always a bad idea— when his feet found a slippery spot on the floor, causing him to stumble and pitch forward. He would have crash landed right square on his nose had he not brought up his hands in times, limbs taking the brunt of the damage, the top of the forgotten pen skimming against his abdomen. He started to get up, but his knees got caught up against the inside portion of his housecoat and Naruto ended up slipping again. Son of a bitch anyways! He smacked his forehead against the floor in total annoyance, quickly felt along his abdomen and pointed the pen away, relieved that the damn thing hadn't punctured anything important. It was right then when the door unlocked and swung open. Naruto felt the wind brush up against the crown of his head, growled against the floor, "I really hope that this is important, Oji-san, because I'm going to be royally pissed if you came here just to antagonize me about something else!"

Naruto turned up his chin, caught a pair of legs standing at the partially opened door, followed the figure up until Oji-san came into view, a mystified frown on his face. The landlord then raised an amused eye, turned and directed the expression away as he were looking at somebody else. "Is the kid always klutzy like this in the morning, miss?" he asked. As if receiving an answer, Oji-san nodded.

Confusion ransacked Naruto and he stammered at the old man, "W-who are you talking to, sir?"

The door swung open further without dramatics, and Naruto felt all of the red rush out of his face. Dressed in a colorful raincoat, holding an umbrella in one hand and a package in the other, Sakura peered down at Naruto, compassionate green eyes complementing the friendly smile that adorned her lips so naturally and unnaturally well. "Good morning, Naruto. Are you okay?" she asked.

Naruto gulped, shakily nodded affirmative at the question. He looked over at Oji-san, could plainly seen the Cheshire-like grin that enveloped his rugged features. That expression said it all right there, and if a picture was indeed worth a thousand words.…Man.

Letting his head drop, Naruto pressed his lips and nose against the floor, expanded his cheeks and, not even bothering to care how idiotic he probably looked, sighed in absolute exasperation.

This day had barely even started and he already wanted it to end.

**To be continued…**

**Author's Note: **Wow! The updates just keep getting longer and longer in-between, don't they? Each chapter also seems to be a couple more pages then the last one as well. So yeah, I can honestly say that as soon as I typed in the closing letters, I literally flopped backwards and shouted, "Oh, thank freakin' God!" Between computer problems, time issues and plot difficulties of all sorts, this chapter has been nothing short of a pain in the ass to write. I was about a third of the way through initially when my laptop decided to pull a kamikaze attack and delete everything I'd written for chapter eight. I was a little choked to say the least, and having been dumb enough not to have saved what I'd had on disc didn't really make matters all the better. Ah well. That's just the way the dice handles at times. My apologies again for the chapter being so late. Sigh…

I would have to say that the hardest sections to write in this were again the ones that involved self-analysis and questioning on the character's part. Placing Naruto in that kind of situation and then trying to validate it without making it overly outlandish _really_ took a lot of thought and time to work out (as I'd already knew it would initially). On the other hand, I definitely liked how the Oji-san character came out and had quite a bit of fun coming up with his personality. Never really came up with an actual name for him though, so I just left it as is with the honorific to be simple. I found that part to be relatively easy since I patterned him off a few significant influences in my life. I also figured it would be kind of cool to have someone else play the voice of reason instead of the usual culprits, and at the same time be somebody that would be quite realistic. I had to figure that somebody else besides Iruka and the Third would be around to look after Naruto while he was growing up. It was also neat having Pakkun involved since I hardly ever see him with parts in stories.

But I hope everything came out legibly enough that it wasn't difficult to read or that I didn't patter on too much in parts (I find I'm often guilty of that). I would also like to say a quick yet long overdue thanks to everyone who's taken the time to check this story out so far, especially veteran writers for their much needed comments and evaluation. Knowing that there's somebody who gets a kick out of reading my quirky fiction is really encouraging. Often there's times where I forget or accidentally misplace certain tidbits about the Naruto universe, so being educated and having thing like that pointed out is super helpful. I'll try and get the next chapter rolling as quickly as I can.

Grandpa…Jim…I'm also dedicating this chapter to both of you guys. Thank you both for your patience and the memories, my friends.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or any characters related.

9:14 AM:

Kneeling on one of the streets she'd scurried down earlier, wrist deep in one of the many dirty puddles she'd hopped around without the least bit of care for any of them then save for her sandals and feet, Sakura now scoured about in of one of those seemingly insignificant puddles with her fingertips, assuming the role of a girl being driven by impotent annoyance over losing a bauble that was of some personal importance to her. It was probably a good thing her instructors couldn't see her splashing around now like a baby, abandoning trained discretion to pursue an object of materialistic value. Not that she would have really cared what anybody thought of her at this inopportune moment, least they wanted their eyes ripped out that badly. It might have made her feel better right about now, she considered grimly…

And, by all rights, there shouldn't have been any problems. Aside from the lack of sleep and the slight chance that her complexion might have taken a beating, things had gone swimmingly for the most part. Her parents had met her at the front door in a calmer state of frame then what she had initially expected. Apparently Ino had taken the swift liberty of contacting Okaa-san right after she'd left, using the fabricated alibi that they had devised together to explain her overnight absence. Sakura figured that an act of foresight on behalf of Mrs. Yamanaka had also played a part in Ino's prompt call. Both mothers were quite good friends with each other and Mrs. Yamanaka—she was about the closest thing to a second mother that Sakura could ever ask for, a good friend as well. She probably would have done the same thing that Ino had done had Sakura asked (though a similar scolding would have come with that bargain). Regardless, Ino had come through in a real pinch, and Sakura owed her big time for that, even if she had to put up with her constant nagging reminder over that detail. That almost seemed like a fair price to pay.

Almost.

On the other hand, she hadn't had to put up with much resistance from her mother, who'd been rather enthralled with the idea that she take up tutelage with the Hokage—so excited in fact that Sakura had had to repeatedly remind her that it was only good _unless_ Tsunade-sama was willing to take on an apprentice. At least her happiness had taken the edge out of any unpleasantness that might have ensued. Parents' were an odd lot when it came to things like that. But it wasn't until she'd showered and dressed in fresh clothes when she'd came upon the unfortunate discovery that had led her to these present circumstances of floundering around like some mutt looking for an old bone to chew on.

Her pen…her favorite pen. Normally she didn't have much of a weakness for materialistic possessions, but that pen had been given to her upon her acceptance into the academy from her grandparents. While more of a hand me down, Obaa-san had presented it to her saying that a budding fruit in training needed the right tool for adequate cultivation, and Sakura, as a child, had felt that she needed every last bit of luck that she could muster then. She would then make it a strict, yet overly exaggerated point to use only that pen on all of her written assignments and tests in the high hopes that it would help bring her high marks via self-imposed 'enchantment'. Even though she did do her homework and diligently studied for tests, the fact that she _was_ earning perfect scores or else close to them with Obaa-san's pen only further inflated the supposition that she needed to keep using it to maintain those high marks. It wasn't until befriending Ino and learning how to be self-confident when she finally realized that the pen had no enchanted properties, no attached ninja seals or associated mysticism mumbo jumbo of any sort. It was her ability of memorizing and retaining knowledge that had allowed her to excel in her studies whereas the pen was nothing more then that of a basic instrument to transfer that information to paper. It wasn't any more unexceptional then a shuriken in a holster set.

And yet, that did little to devalue the fact that it had still been a present; given to her with all the expectations that she was to do her best to succeed as a kunoichi. And even without that impression weighing on her mind, the pen still held personal value to her. It had stuck with her the entire time she'd been in the academy and she had wielded it with the utmost pride and trust in herself—so much so that she'd had it personalized upon graduation to make it truly hers. Nothing overly glamorous, just a little something to help keep her focus centered—and a means of uniqueness to make it a bit more identifiable should it ever become lost, as what should have been the case presently.

But that wasn't helping her now in the slightest. Unless her eyes were playing tricks on her, Sakura had thought she'd seen a marginal speck of something that had _resembled _the look of a pen in the shallow murkiness a few moments ago. Adding to the fact that it was one of the bigger, slightly deeper puddles in the vicinity of the street only further justified the need that a quick search be conducted, but it was becoming distressfully clear after a few moments of puddle splashing that the pen wasn't here. Sakura made one more determined sweep along the immersed ground, then reared her hand back and took a frustrated swipe at the water's surface before sitting back on her haunches, sighing as she readjusted her grip on the handle of the umbrella that she held in her left hand.

"Well, shit," she grumbled softly, totally irritated with her inability to keep track of something that should have been so easy to safeguard in the first place. Even more irritating was that she didn't make it a habit to misplace things of importance to her; maintaining inventory was one of those fundamental lessons that had been drilled into her head at the academy. Especially when life and death scenarios weren't so kind as to favor the ill equipped. And she knew full well that this really didn't fit into that category of catastrophes'. It was more the aspect of it that pissed her off—enough that she almost wanted to take another few rounds out of the puddle for good measure, no matter how puerile it seemed. Playing this game of hide and seek was one of the last things she wanted to be doing this morning. Instead Sakura picked up a handful of pebbles and irritably tossed them into the water hard, then, having heard some of the rocks bouncing against the other smaller puddles, tucked her knuckle up underneath her chin and sighed sullenly.

As hampering as these circumstances were, Sakura possessed more then enough frame of mind to understand that there was very little that she could do now except retrace her steps and hope that her pen was lurking somewhere on soggy ground and not be submerged or water-damaged. The furious downpour had created numerous puddles all over the place and several of them had grown quite large and deep—far too large to try and probe them all individually. She'd have to wait until some of the water evaporated before she could even think to search them. Hopefully it wouldn't have to come down to that, but Sakura was starting to have a few doubts that things would be that convenient. She'd already covered her house from top to bottom and had looked around the Yamanaka flower shop, mostly where she had stood and tossed pebbles at Ino's bedroom window. She'd even snuck back into Ino's bedroom via the unlocked window to check under the bed sheets, thinking that it might have slipped out of her pocket when she'd caught that very brief nap, but to no avail. There was also the possibility that Ino had found the pen and had placed it someplace, but Sakura had no real ambitions of going and asking her. She'd already had to stomach one slice of humble pie today. No way was she going to chew on a second piece. And she doubted that it was there, anyways. Ino probably would have mentioned it in the phone call—teasingly, of course, as only piggy could be.

Sakura sucked on her lips in irritation, pushed the tips of her fingers into the wet soil, stood up and brushed the more notable dirt clumps off the knees of her raincoat with her free sleeve. Yeah, piggy would have razzed her big time for this. The shitty thing was that she would have been justified in the whole thing. She hated admitting it, but Sakura knew that the whole puddle search was just a freaking waste of time. She'd already searched the streets between the two houses and had been meticulous in checking the majority of the waterholes there (the ones that weren't humungous anyways). If it _was_ submerged up ahead or someplace she'd missed, then there was a fair chance that the pen was as good as ruined anyways, the ink definitely. That was something that she would just have to deal with if it did turn out to be the case.

And unfortunately, it very well just might have to be that way. Time wasn't on her side this morning and she definitely couldn't afford to squander any more of it away then what she had already out here. After leaving the flower shop, Sakura had gone directly to the Hokage's tower in the hopes of catching the Godaime early enough to inquire about the possibility of becoming a pupil without being a nuisance. Having heard that the newly appointed Hokage possessed quite a temper had not deterred Sakura, and upon being granted an audience she'd proceeded to plead both her case and reasoning for her earnest aspirations in a manner that had been firm, polite and sincere without embellishment or attempting to butter her up. That was the absolute last impression that she wanted to exude. She didn't want Tsunade-sama to think that she was some run-of-the-mill dimwit seeking any sort of trivial fame or fulfilling some childish fantasy to study with somebody of considerable status.

Her thoughts tracing back to that unsanctioned meeting, fresh tendrils of false butterflies pulsated through Sakura's stomach and she smiled meekly. Her impression of the older woman was that she seemed quite self-assured; an impression that hadn't changed since she'd first witnessed Tsunade-sama walk into Sasuke-kun's hospital room and heal him with the simplest of ease. She'd been too preoccupied at the time to truly appreciate it but after hearing how she'd healed Kakashi-sensei who'd also been affected by Itachi's sharingan as well, Sakura had been unabashedly convinced that Tsunade-sama was one of the most talented women she'd ever seen. Yet she also knew that such elaborate skills could not have come without a great deal of knowledge in human anatomy, superb chakra control, and a heavy measure of discipline. She was definitely not somebody who had achieved power by taking shortcuts.

Sakura shivered, and it wasn't just from the rain. Regardless of her position, the older woman definitely had an authoritative presence about her—somebody who was clearly not to be trifled with or mislead. Not that that probably mattered anyways. There was no doubt that she could read a façade from a mile away. It was almost like a combination of Okaa-san and Anko-sensei rolled into one. That was a frightening concept in itself, but it was what it was.

At least Tsunade-sama had accepted the proposal of taking on a pupil without much in the way of interrogation. Sakura also considered it a stroke of luck that Kakashi-sensei had shown up like he did to file a report only a minute or so afterwards. He'd shown such genuine graciousness about her decision to study with the Hokage that it had both pleased and saddened Sakura. She couldn't imagine that he'd likened the idea of having the majority of his team split off to do their own separate things but it was almost for the best; at least where she was concerned. Because of Orochimaru's attack and the loss of several of Konoha's shinobi, Kakashi-sensei had been forced to devote his talent and skills in various divisions in order to compensate for those who were needed to help rebuild and protect the village from any further attacks. To try and aid him in any undertakings now would have only made her a liability that she knew he couldn't afford to burden. It would have been no different if she'd gone with Naruto's group to try and bring back Sasuke-kun. She would have just gotten in the way there as well…

Sakura glowered down at the puddle, her bout of trepidation metamorphosing into a flame of determination. Well, that was all going to change in a real hurry. Whatever tasks Tsunade-sama—taichou (she hoped) had planned for her; Sakura was determined to meet them all and give nothing less then a hundred and ten percent. If she couldn't be of any help on the field—she sure as hell had to make up for it by learning everything she possibly could from her new sensei regarding the art of healing. No matter how difficult things were going to turn out—and she knew that they would, Sakura made it a personal pledge that she was never going to give the newest Hokage the slightest inclination towards thinking she was wasting her precious time, not even for one second—

"_**Overconfidence makes for such a grand defensive mechanism, doesn't it?**_"

Sakura rolled her eyes at the validity of the mental comment. Yeah, she couldn't exactly walk into the Hokage's office with weapons blazing, but approaching the situation with an empty holster was detrimental as well. That's why Sakura felt it was important to meet with Tsunade-taichou at the instructed time—anywhere between ten-fifteen and ten- thirty was what she had specified for the first official training session, though that sort of flexibility seemed a trifle unorthodox to her when compared to the rule abiding need to be punctual for every class back in the academy days or meetings with Kakashi-sensei—even knowing that he would be more then often late by hours for the majority of those. That was one particular student-teacher trait she wasn't willing to inherit. Sakura almost wished that the Hokage had sanctioned a more…precise time instead. It sure as hell would have eased some of the residual nervousness that she was feeling right now…

Like a bulb being twisted in its socket, a flash of insight swept her mind. Why play a guessing game about it at all? Why not just make it concrete and go there at ten o'clock and make ten-fifteen the deadline instead? It wasn't like she'd get reamed out for being early or anything. Plus it would make her feel a little more at ease about time constraints and would most definitely save her the trouble of playing any additional mind games with herself; an almost common practice nowadays. Sakura really wished that she didn't have to live with that almost pivotal urge to keep things always organized in her life, almost wished that she could have things a little more unceremonious.

Like Naruto did.

Wiping water off of her brow, Sakura shifted her glance down the road that lead towards Naruto's apartment, a slightly concerned frown crafting her facial muscles. She couldn't help but wonder how Naruto was faring now. Considering how late she'd kept him up, the poor guy was probably still sound asleep. Maybe he'd finally sleep well enough to supersede any further nightmares that might have been trying to filter through his head. Wouldn't that have just been a boon and a half? It certainly would have been nice to act ignorant and think of it as such. Sakura viciously gnawed the inside of her cheek, quickly forced a damper on the egocentric path her mind was trekking before those familiar misgivings tried to run amok again.

But it _would_ be good to know what was causing those intense dreams of his in the first place and possibly help him work to quell them. She'd already felt convinced that it had something to do with Sasuke-kun and the falling out that had happened between him and Naruto. That was the broad outline of it. Pinpointing it precisely was the problem, and Sakura really doubted that Naruto would ever come forth and flat out speak to her about any of it. Probably just smile and say that everything was okay like always, even if the person he was telling knew perfectly well that it wasn't; that self-delusional dummy. She earnestly hoped that he'd start to feel like his energetic self again soon. Trying to pummel Naruto when he wasn't himself was like plucking the wings off of a butterfly; it just felt morally wrong. Sakura had to smile at that.

Well, any sort of physicality she felt like inflicting would have to come at a much later date. Sakura studied her watch again, seen that she had plenty of time yet to spare—just under an hour or so. That was good. It was more then enough to wrap up any other last business that needed attending, and there was. Picking her away around the puddle, she took a few careful steps over to a nearby house with an overhead canopy protecting the entryway. Bending down, Sakura picked up a small plastic bag that she'd deposited earlier for safekeeping, opened it along with the paper bag inside to check the condition of the contents, was relieved when she found they hadn't been damaged by the rain.

Walking home after talking to the Hokage, she'd come across a bakery that just happened to be one of the more popular establishments in town—very well known for its particular desserts and sweet buns. Waiting lists were not at all uncommon. Neither was being totally sold out before noon either. Luckily the store had _just_ opened when she was walking by, allowing her free access to look around without her options being limited by a bustle of people. Recalling Ino's advice and after taking a few minutes to glance about, Sakura had picked out a small assortment of freshly prepared sweet buns she felt were guaranteed to please any range of palate. Of course, that was a little irrelevant considering Naruto was almost on par with Chouji when it came to finding any means necessary to eat his own weight in food.

Closing the bag, Sakura chuckled as she turned and started to walk down the street. At least she didn't have to worry about her efforts going up in smoke. Still, it would have been better if she could have baked something personally but there just hadn't been any time for that. She _could_ go out on a limb and say that she herself had made the treats yesterday—boys tended to respond well to little things like that—though that was one monster of a stretch when considering the quality of the food. While it shouldn't have mattered on whether they were homemade or store-bought, Sakura would have much rather preferred to tell him that she'd made them herself just so that he might enjoy them even more. It was for that reason that she almost guiltily hoped that he was still asleep so that he wouldn't ask questions or anything until later. That was if things worked out like she hoped they would.

What she _had _initially planned on was leaving them with his landlord, have him give them to Naruto and then leave it up to him to come up with some imaginative anecdote about how she'd stopped by with the reminder that she wanted to take him out for dinner later on. The minute long conversation she'd previously had with him days ago had left her with a crystal clear impression that he was well versed in storytelling. And while he had been pleasant enough to talk with, she definitely had no qualms that Naruto had picked up some of his straightforward mannerisms from that particular gentleman. Sakura also had reason to believe that he fit the universal senior pattern of being an early riser, which is what she'd been kind of counting on. Trying to fit her way into other people's schedules seemed to be a repeating occurrence lately…

"_**Well if you had put that note out in the open where the dummy could actually see it to begin with, you wouldn't be wrapped up in this 'need to redeem' scenario.**_"

"Piss off already," Sakura hotly retorted. She didn't need her attesting inner voice to pronounce her screw-ups' when she was already well aware of them. Putting that note underneath the glass of water was a stupid idea—the arts and crafts approach even stupider when he'd probably just throw the thing away without a second thought. The only reason she'd done that was out of etiquette for his furnishings (leaving a cold glass on a wooden table without a coaster underneath it makes a nasty-looking mark). It had seemed like the right thing to do at the time, and it still did. The _only_ reason she felt perturbed by the mistake was because she didn't want Naruto to think that she was ungrateful in any sort of way and would just leave without giving any sort of indication when that just wasn't the case at all. Buying him the treats had been a split between both redemption and a bribe on her part to make up for keeping him awake half the night and for the cake he'd graciously left out for her to eat. And it _was_ considered bad form to visit somebody without bringing some sort of present…

"So is being overly girly. Drop the goddamn baggage of paranoia already and get a move on," she grumbled, feeling overly grumpy from being in the rain too long and a nasty urge to bang both Ino and Naruto's heads together for no reason. Sakura quickly sliced her way through the streets at the pace of an obsessed power-walker until the rustic shape of Naruto's apartment rapidly filtered into her perception. _Rustic _was about the only genuine title she could possibly give the place that had some peonage to it without being overly insulting. It wasn't as if the building was totally atrocious or anything—especially if the landlord was having financial difficulties or something of that nature. If anything it just needed refurbishing in certain areas, like a fresh paint job on both the outside and inside. She couldn't imagine that many people would want to stay in such a place where paint was peeling off the walls at an alarming rate.

Then again, there were people out there that didn't have been a choice in the matter. Sakura chewed her bottom lip hard in chastisement. She needed to get in the habit of abandoning the pedestrian aspect of things and think outside the box. It wasn't right to evaluate one area of focus when there were a lot of places in a lot of towns that were rundown and decrepit; it was a universal part of life and culture, and it was best not to forget that. Especially when the line of study was only revolving around one location. Sakura would have thought that such pettiness might have dissolved itself after her time spent here, but it seemed like it was the other way around and that royally sucked because then it meant Ino's whole 'fretting' statement had some power/truth to it. Best friend or not, the idea of being thought of as transparent was something that wasn't sitting well with her at all.

Well she could worry about that later. Standing out here wasn't accomplishing anything, not with a time frame looming over her head. Because of that, Sakura had already decided that she was going to leave these with Naruto's landlord. If that weren't possible, she'd put them by Naruto's door and hope that wouldn't get overly soaked and then come back later today for a proper visit when time was more permitting for her. After all she did need to let him know about the party Ino's squad was throwing for Chouji. Finalizing her thoughts, Sakura started towards the lot for the second time in less then half the day. At least those feelings of intrusiveness weren't as jagged as before and it was more then likely that they would continue to dull as time passed. Whether that was a good thing or not…remained sort of debatable (old habits died hard).

Reaching the steps, Sakura felt relieved to be getting out of the wind and rain temporarily; maybe not so much the rain but at least it wasn't _as _bad as being directly out in the open. She started to climb up the steps, paused, felt a tickle rising in her nose, reared back, turned her head and ferociously sneezed, spittle and snot flying all over in a total unladylike fashion. Yeah…not as bad, all right. At least she'd possessed enough foresight to sneeze away from the grocery bag instead of towards it. Sakura rubbed her mouth against her right shoulder, cleaning her nose and face, hoping that she still looked somewhat presentable. She found out quickly enough.

"Holy hell, little lady! That's quite a sneeze ya got there! Any harder and yer nose woulda flew clear off!" a familiar gruff voice teased from above her. Startled, Sakura looked up, found herself looking up into the friendly face of Naruto's landlord—the very person she needed to speak to. Of course the circumstances couldn't start out to be anything but embarrassing. Straightening out as best as she could, Sakura smiled fondly at the man. "Good morning, sir. S-sorry you had to witness that display," She spoke in a deeply humble, apologetic tone as she walked up the steps and closed her umbrella, feeling no need to hide such disconcert when it was clear that she was feeling it.

Standing at the top of the steps underneath a wide canopy that sheltered him from the worst of the rain, the old man made a dismissive gesture with his hand. "A good sneeze ta clean out the pipes ain't nothin' ta apologize about, miss. Jus' means ya have a healthy schnozzle ta go with that cute face of yers," he said with an open grin.

Sakura chuckled. That really didn't sound 'cute' at all but she didn't mind. His candidness was a welcome change of pace from the ornery leaders that consistently wrapped themselves in a state of sternness and strict mannerisms without any obvious shred of lightheartedness. She'd only had the 'pleasure' of dealing with a few of those and it had been quite enough to convince her how _not_ to turn out if she ever aspired to become a teacher herself. Naruto's landlord had a gruff exterior that commanded respect as well, but he also had an easy-going personality that didn't make exchanging dialogue with him seem like a chore. His matter of speaking was a little unorthodox sure, but he sure as hell didn't beat around the bush either, and Sakura felt a real sense of appreciation for that. Maybe it was because he was the only adult she'd ever met that had absolutely no impact on her where studies or ninjutsu or anything even parent-like was concerned—totally neutral in every sense—and yet, to her, he seemed like the sort of person that you could confide in where advice was needed and depend on where confidentially was necessary. Maybe it was a little rash to jump to that conclusion after only having one, now two conversations with the guy (she'd just begun the second), but that was the vibe she felt and Sakura generally trusted those when it mattered. Still, it might be a good idea to retain some disclosure and not lay any of her eggs in a basket for now until she had a better understanding of him. For all intents and purposes, this might be the last time she spoke to him anyways. "I suppose you're right, sir," she replied, looked over her shoulder to glance at the landscape, "I guess it is a little chilly out here."

The landlord nodded. "Ain't that about the truth, little miss. Another day of this mess and ya'll be needin' one of them damned _scuber_ _suits_ ta get around." This seemed to elect a small burst of laughter from the young lady, which caused him to chuckle in return. Hell, he didn't know what the damn things were called. "Still, good bouts o' rain ain't nothin' ta jus' pass up these days either. This country can get as dry as a popcorn kernel in a hurry if there ain't any moisture ta slosh the ground up a bit." He smiled at the girl as she joined him. "Inconveniences only go as far as the eye can see. Long term, things ain't so bad."

Sakura paused, managed to conceal her lapse of mystification with a quick smile. As innocent as it sounded, something about that last comment managed to strike a cord with her. It seemed a little too deliberate to be random for her tastes though Sakura had to admit that she was probably just over thinking thing as usual. Still… "That's true. Some rain is better then none at all," Sakura finally remarked, getting back to the matter at hand. "And I guess it has been getting a little warm lately."

He grinned in return. "I'm jus' sayin' that some things ain't worth raisin' a fist over. A good bout o' rain is a time o' recovery for everyone and everything." Nodding at his answer, the old man reached into his coat and pulled out a cigarette, glanced at the girl apologetically. "Forgive an old man's habits, miss, but do ya mind if I have a smoke in yer presence?"

"Not at all. Please, go ahead."

Sighing with relief, he placed the cigarette in his mouth and lit it. "Thanks, little miss. Figured I should ask outta the sake o' politeness before lighting one up. The wife is always giving me the gears about that."

Sakura offered a small smile. "It's not a particularly healthy habit, sir."

He nodded. "That it ain't, miss." He took a long drag, purposely blew it out in the opposite direction that Sakura was standing so that it didn't inadvertently blow smoke in her face. "So, what brings ya out this way on such a blistery morning?" he asked in a hopeful attempt to try and change the subject.

Sakura contemplated a reasonable answer. "I was just…looking for my pen," she said, just suddenly realizing that she hadn't thought of it for the past while now. It wasn't as if she were lying about it either so it made a good alibi. "I lost it out here someplace and I've been trying to find it for the past while now. It's…sort of important to me and—"

"Was it a fancy-lookin' blue pen?"

Sakura blinked. "Um, you've seen it, sir?"

The landlord smiled, pointed down the steps. "Dropped it down there when you was makin' a beeline outta here. A thousand raindrops ploppin' around makes it a little hard ta discern those soft sounds," he added.

Sakura let out an unabashed sigh. _That _was certainly a weight that she didn't need on her shoulders anymore. "I _figured _I'd dropped it somewhere close by here," she said, notes of leftover frustration filling her voice. She shook her head, then looked up at him, flashed him a radiant smile. "Thank you for taking the time to pick it up for me. That pen means a lot to me—it's silly, I know—but," her voice suddenly took on an embarrassed edge and she blushed, "it makes me…happy as hell to know that it's not floating in a puddle somewhere."

He looked at her with a peculiar expression, raised an eyebrow as if he was being forced to reevaluate his initial impression of the young lady that stood beside him. That wasn't much of a surprise since he'd already detected that there was more spunk to her kind personality then she liked to let on—a quiet flame burning on a small island in the middle of a pond. That seemed to fit the profile of most aspiring kunoichi. And if the missus was anything to go by, then it also made for the best of them, too—speaking in the past tense, of course. Still, he could see why Naruto liked her so much. He reached over and patted her on the shoulder in a friendly way, smiled. "I know the feeling, little miss, and it ain't somethin' ya need ta worry about or be ashamed of. It's a damn good feeling ta find somethin' that ya've previously lost. Take it this pen was somewhat important to ya?"

Sakura nodded fractionally. "It was a present from my grandparents. It's the only pen I've ever used up until I graduated from the academy…sort of a good luck charm, I suppose," she said, the last part coming out in an apprehensive sort of way, which led to her quickly adding, "It's just that I've had it for such a long time…and it would really bug me if I'd lost it now," she said, keeping the explanation simple. No sense in overcomplicating things and babbling on.

The landlord nodded, puffed and exhaled again in the opposite direction. "I suppose that's reason enough, miss." He flicked his cigarette butt away, looked at her and grinned. "Well I'd love ta give you yer pen now, but I don't have it with me, unfortunately." He pointed off to his right. "I left that with Naruto fer safekeepin'." he said. "I figured that was the best course o' action since I wasn't sure when ya'd be comin' back, and 'course you'd see him a lot sooner anyways."

Sakura's eyebrows rose, managed to keep her voice in casual tones. "Oh, he's awake?"

He nodded, then rubbed his eyes and chuckled. "Yeah…I think I woke the poor guy up, though. Had ta go over there earlier ta take him some laundry that muh wife had mended fer him as well as some goodies she made up this mornin'. Course I misplaced muh damn keys, and I didn't feel like stickin' around and bein' caught in the path o' the tornado while she wuz doin' her bakin'. Far as I'm concerned, a whirlin' battleaxe comin' at ya is about the second most dangerous thing around."

Caught off guard by the rude, yet utterly comical tirade, Sakura stifled back a sudden bout of the chuckles with the back of her hand, wishing she had a hanky just in case snot started to drip out of her nose. Yes, this gentleman/silly ass certainly had no problems or impediments when it came to telling it like it was. Sakura couldn't help but strongly speculate that if she were five or six years older, Naruto's landlord would be instead trying to invite her to come inside for a few highballs and sips of sake instead. And, quite frankly, that didn't seem all that far from the truth. "Y-you shouldn't talk that way, sir," Sakura admonished, still in the midst of recovering her composure.

The old man laughed at this. "Marriage ain't always a neat and tidy deal. You'll find out all about it when yer older." He reached over and pinched the side of the bag she'd been holding since she showed up. "What have ya got goin' on here?"

Recovering her dignity somewhat, Sakura opened the bag for him to see. "I was by the bakery earlier and seen that they were just finishing up some batches of sweet buns. I…sort of inconvenienced Naruto the other day as well and wanted to apologize for it, so I figured I'd get him some of these as a peace offering," She rubbing the back of her head while he examined some of the pastries. "I would have preferred to make him something myself instead," she said to him in confidence, "but the bakery I got these from has some of the best sweets in town."

"I see. Well I wouldn't be worrying about that sort o' thing, miss," the landlord reassured her. "That boy has a bottomless appetite ta match that thick skull of his. He'll eat anything without givin' it another thought. He'll certainly enjoy these. And ya could always fib a bit and say that ya did go and make these just ta make him think a bit."

That last sentence set a bell off in Sakura's mind and she capitalized on it. "About that, sir. I was wondering if…maybe it would be a better idea that I leave these with you instead of going up there. This way I wouldn't wake him if he did decide to go back to sleep," she added, being careful not to hasten her voice so that it sounded like a plea.

"I doubt he'd be asleep, miss," he said, recalling their last exchange of words. "It sounded like he was gonna eat some of that cup ramen crap that he likes so much fer breakfast. How he can eat that stuff all the time makes muh stomach churn. Still, he generally stays up once he's awake in the mornings'." He then smiled quizzically. "Were ya in a hurry or somethin'?

Sakura contemplated quickly. "Well…see, the thing is that I have a very important meeting with the Hokage in a little while," she explained honestly, "and it's very important that I'm punctual so as not to give the impression that I'm wasting her time and make a bad impression for myself. That and looking for that stupid pen of mine screwed up my timeframe as well…I sort of pigeonholed myself a bit is what I'm saying." In her case, it was about as good an excuse as any. And she was telling the truth for the most part. The other, fractional bits—he didn't need to know about those. Unfortunately for her…

"I see," the landlord said slowly. "Still, I reckon he'd still be awake at this point." He considered carefully, said, "I really think it'd be a good idea if ya went up and seen him fer a few minutes—jus' so that you can drop off those goodies fer him and retrieve yer pen. Naruto would probably appreciate seein' ya. That and I think the kid can only take so many doses' o' muh ugly ol' face before he starts ta get uppity," he added lightheartedly in an attempt to persuade her. She'd seemed so adamant a week ago when asking for Naruto's apartment number. Now it seemed almost out of place for her to take such a reluctant approach, at least to him. Unless she'd already gathered a clue about Naruto's anxieties and was being deliberately cautious for some particular sake; he had no idea. What he did know was that the two of them were going to have to face each other sooner or later. And either way, he wasn't going to have any participation in the matter. This was something they'd have to work out themselves.

Sakura seemed to come to this conclusion as well, even though her guts felt like they were being slowly stretched and twisted. "Well…after wasting my time looking for it in the first place, I suppose I _could_ go and get my pen, seeing as I'm here now," she said aloud, held up the bag. "And I really would like to drop these off as well," Sakura added even though she still felt hesitant.

"Might as well," the landlord agreed warmly. "I mean, why not bring a smile ta each other's faces' on such a dreary day?" He turned and began to walk up the walkway, gestured with his hand. "Follow me, miss. I got muh keys' with me this time. We'll just see if he's up. If not, then ya can at least drop yer stuff off. I'll let him know later that yer aware that yer pen is in his possession. This way he can chase ya around fer a change o' pace when ya ain't so busy."

Following behind him, Sakura smiled weakly at the old man's charismatic enthusiasm in wanting to play the role of tour guide. At first she'd been slightly disappointed that her plans to leave the sweets with the landlord had gone array, but it was hardly a shock considering that the man had little need for diplomacy and flowery embellishment. On the upside though, at least she could finally drop these damn pastries off without having to worry anymore about them turning into mush. That, and reclaim her pen as well. Courtesy aside, it would have been a waste if she'd spent all this time looking for it and then not take it back when it was within means. It only made sense.

But common sense or not, her guts _still_ felt like they were being churned through a meat grinder, and it should have had everything to do with knowing that she was going to possibly be receiving personal tuition under the most powerful woman in the village…but it didn't. In her wildest dreams, she would never have predicated a point in time where a simple visit with Naruto would prelude with foreign feelings of utter nervousness as of those she was experiencing undoubtedly now.

Sakura ravaged her lower lip, glanced down at the bag, and knew straight up that she'd wanted to do everything that wouldn't involve personally delivering these to Naruto. Whether he found them by his door or whether the landlord gave them to him; it didn't matter. Just as long as she didn't have to plop them in his lap and say to Naruto: "Here you go. Enjoy!" No, it really did not matter to her. But proper intentions aside, Sakura really had to wonder if she was doing the right thing in coming back here so soon. Naruto's landlord seemed to think so, but that was little comfort considering he hadn't been the one who'd had a somewhat biased vendetta against Naruto in the past even though that shouldn't have mattered. Ino had made it perfectly clear during their very drawn-out conversation that Naruto wasn't the sort who took to letting people get him down. That was a pretty safe bet, considering how many times she'd beaten him up.

"_**So drop the baggage and stop worrying already! Next thing you know, you'll be accusing yourself of wasting Ino-pig's time! You're here now, so let's keep to the schedule and get this done!**_" Inner Sakura encouraged

Sakura took a breath, blew it out along with most of her anxieties, and then gave her head a hard shake for good measure. Yes, there was no sense in 'fretting' over pretentious nonsense. It wasn't like it had taken this much thought the first time she'd resolved to be a little nicer to Naruto and this shouldn't either. And she wasn't about to present Ino with another opportunity to give her any additional ammunition either. That just wasn't going to happen, period. Her self-confidence restored, Sakura sped up her walking speed so that she could match pace with the landlord, who was but a few steps ahead of her. She caught up with him easily enough but, in the process of haste, she accidentally kicked up a bit of water off the walkway that hadn't properly drained, splashing the back of his pant leg as result. "Oops! Sorry about that, sir! I didn't mean for that to happen!" she exclaimed embarrassingly.

The landlord reached down and brushed the back of his pants off, smiled. "Oh that ain't nothin' ta worry about, miss," he said, shrugging it off. "A bit o' dirty water ain't gonna hurt me none. Muh clothes have already taken' a beatin' as it is." He shook each pant leg a couple of times, wiped it clean with the back of hand. "Good enough! Muh wife will take care of the rest." Standing up, he resumed his task of playing tour guide though that would only last for a few moments more. Finally reaching Naruto's apartment, the landlord stiffly knocked on the door twice, turned his head and listened intently, his forehead contorted in concentration. Unable to make out anything that resembled his footsteps, he knocked again with the same intensity, listened. "Can't…quite tell," he mumbled softly

"I can just leave them out by his door," Sakura offered quietly, looked up at the roof to see if any water was dripping through the boards. "It doesn't look like the rain would get inside the bag."

Pulling his head back from the door, the landlord made a dismissive gesture, as only a stubborn adult would do. "Nonsense," he said while reaching inside his pocket and withdrawing a set of keys. "We'll just take a moment ta scout this situation out and then jus' see what happens." Picking out one particular key, the landlord brought it up to level with the doorknob and slid into place.

Still trying to pay attention to the still new subtle noises coming from the apartment, Sakura suddenly frowned. She could have sworn she heard someone (presumably Naruto) saying something—more like shouting something—from inside, followed by strange banging sounds. She silently urged the landlord to continue on with his business. Giving the key a simple twist, the landlord complied with her unspoken wishes and opened the door. Out of sight for the time being, Sakura held her breath, heard Naruto clearly say: "I really hope that this is important, Oji-san, because I'm going to be royally pissed if you came here just to antagonize me about something else." Gazing over at her, Sakura noted the amused expression on the landlord's face, a strangely quizzical look on his face, asked, "Is the kid always klutzy like this in the morning, miss?"

Sakura looked in between the hinges, seen most of Naruto sprawled out on the hardwood floor in an awkward, comical manner, felt the corners of her mouth slowly lift. Aside from a few particular times when she could tell he'd put in a considerably late night of practice, he was generally pretty orientated in the mornings. Still, seeing his clumsy state put her at a state of ease. "Just sometimes," she admitted. The landlord nodded knowingly. From inside, Sakura heard Naruto nervously ask, "W-who are you talking to, sir?"

Without preamble, Sakura pressed her hand up against the door and gently pushed it open all the way, answering his question. Ignoring the look of confusion that was plainly etched on his face, she smiled warmly. "Good morning, Naruto. Are you okay?" she asked, already knowing the answer to that inquiry. In predictable fashion, Naruto's Adam's apple bobbed as he quickly nodded in acknowledgment. He then looked to her left where the landlord was standing, stared for a few seconds, suddenly made a odd-looking face that seemed to match dispirited and then slumped to the ground, the sound of a sigh fluttering across his lips and along the floorboards. Slightly confused but not showing it on her face, Sakura glanced over, seen a slight smile cross the lips of the landlord but nothing really devious enough to cause this sort of reaction; unless she'd just missed it.

Clearing his throat so as to give his voice a rougher disciplined edge, Naruto's landlord shouted, "Look alive, kid! Ya have company here. Time ta get up and say hello." To Sakura he said, "Go on inside, miss. Get outta this rain before ya catch a chill. Have Naruto make ya some hot tea. It'll help warm ya up." Gently ushering Sakura forward, he gruffly called over to Naruto. "Boy, ya hear what I said? Get the hell up off yer ass already and make Sakura-san some tea!"

Sakura considered telling him—both of them now—that tea wasn't necessary, then denounced the idea almost instantly. It would have been like talking like a brick wall, and he was clearly similar to Naruto when it came to accommodating guests. Hell, she probably would have done the same thing if the roles had been reversed. It was probably best to just go with the flow for now and not kick up any fuss. Placing her things down on the floor, Sakura started to take off her boots.

Seeing that things were spinning into motion and knowing that it _was_ time to take his leave, the landlord said, "Well, I'd best take muh leave, miss. It was very nice seein' ya again. All the best in yer tuition with the Hokage."

She smiled up over her shoulder. "Thank you, sir," then added in hushed confidentially, "Thanks for unlocking the door for me."

He patted her on the shoulder again gently. "Yer welcome." The landlord then looked at Naruto, who was now sitting on the floor, carefully rubbing his stomach as if he was just about to have a baby, said, "Hey, kid?"

Naruto looked up, his face a mix of irritation and caution. "Yeah, what?"

"Ya remember that favor—" he gestured quickly with his chin at Sakura's back, "—I asked ya about? Jus' keep it in mind, if ya could?" he asked, keeping to his promise not to force the issue. Especially since Sakura was standing right in front of him in absolute earshot.

Naruto knew exactly what he was referring to, sighed inwardly, then nodded in compliance. The idea of asking Sakura-chan to play caretaker while he was away seemed just as much of a terrible idea now as it did when the landlord presented it earlier; a real waste of time, but he knew full well that he couldn't dismiss the suggestion either—especially when it concerned Oba-san. And aside from Iruka-sensei or possibly Kakashi-sensei (the latter being a real stretch), he couldn't think of anyone else that would be up to the task. "Alright."

The landlord smiled lopsided. "Good ta hear. You kids have a good visit" He gave Sakura's shoulders another squeeze before releasing her and stepping back outside. Pulling the door shut, he almost felt like making a quick crack about leaving two young teenagers alone by themselves without an adult chaperone but thought better of it. Seeing the little miss so soon after that long-winded diatribe probably had Naruto wrapped up in a fit of knots as it was. Adding to that wouldn't make him feel any less unsettled. Sweets and pens aside, it certainly did seem odd that she would show up here again so soon after leaving only a couple hours. The only thing he could attribute it to was that she was having a guilty conscience over reasons of a personal nature. He would have liked to think that she had some interest in the boy, but then remembered Naruto making it absolutely clear that she didn't like him in that sort of way. The chances of any romantic inclination were about as null as that of a weeklong rainstorm quenching a dry desert. It just wasn't there. Or maybe that's how he wanted to think…

Laughing at himself, the landlord reached inside and pulled out—regrettably for him—his last cigarette, lit it, took a very satisfying puff. Christ was he glad that he wasn't a young man anymore! The idea of dealing with adolescent problems again was about as enticing as trying to give up drinking, and that just wasn't going to happen. Hell, he'd been listening to that kid for so long now that _he_ was starting to overanalyze things, and they weren't even his problems to begin with! A few drinks to get his mind on straight (or backwards) were just what the doctor ordered. Plus he deserved a reward for being such a good listener (though that was mostly out of justification for suddenly feeling like a glutton).

And yet, his mind would be centered on these two kids for the majority of the morning, the boy especially. As much as he liked to razz Naruto, the father figure within hoped that some of what he'd said had benefited in some way. He really didn't like seeing the kid in a despondent state, especially over something so silly as a girl, and—despite the age—a reasonably compassionate looking one at that, though he supposed he was the same way once upon a time. She sure seemed a lot less ornery then the old lady had been back in the day but that was just from his perspective (woman had the uncanny tendency to be devious like that). Hopefully Naruto could buckle down and get things figured out so that he could at least have the chance to get his head on straight. Unfortunately, that didn't always lead to the best conclusions. His past experiences as a youth were discernable proof of that notion. But who the hell could tell with today's generation?

He paused, took a final glance at Naruto's apartment, quietly sighed, a trail of narcotic smoke escaping from his nostrils. "Try n' be the bigger man, kid," he finally spoke in earnest tones of firm honesty. "I can't tell ya any other way to be except fer that. And if ya can't, then…do what ya think has ta be done." With a confident smile pasted on his lips, he turned and—with his last smoke planted firmly between his lips—made tracks down the sweltering walkway, firmly pointed in the direction of home.

* * *

With the door clicking shut and Oji-san finally making his exit, Naruto simply sat there on his living room floor in a cross-legged state of disbelief, unable to do much of anything except gawk at Sakura, who was in the calm routine of taking off her boots—seemingly put at ease by the landlord's invitation. That made sense after remembering Oji-san saying that he'd previously talked to her. By now he had to think that there was a bit of camaraderie between the two of them. It sure explained why he was so insistent on having Sakura look after the place. Hell, he should have just asked her himself then. Mischievous old prick…

Taking a hard breath, Naruto glared intently at the floor for a few solid seconds before his gaze finally softened out of reflex, released his inhalation and forced himself to relax. This was absolutely not the time to take on an ornery attitude. If he did, it would take control of his mannerisms and he might end up saying something that he shouldn't. And if he did that, he would disgrace the time that Oji-san had spent in listening to his problems—along with the advice he'd given. Naruto owed him that much courtesy. Ignoring the biting ache in his ribs where that stupid pen had almost skewered him, Naruto gathered himself up while making sure not to trip like a dork again. "Hi, Sakura-chan. D-did you sleep okay?" he asked.

Sakura looked at him, gave him an once-over, then smiled lightly. "Probably as well as you did."

"_I doubt it,_" he thought, yet smiled in return; she did have a point. "I guess that depends on whatever time you got up at. Did you even sleep?"

Kicking off her last boot and placing them neatly aside, Sakura undid her raincoat and—after opening the door and snapping the excess water away—placed it on the floor, where it wouldn't make as much of a mess. "Yes, I did…a little bit," she answered hesitantly, "but I had a lot of things on my mind and didn't doze off all that well." She stood her umbrella against the wall, turned and grinned at him. "That and the late night tea and cake didn't much help either—caffeine and sugar being stimulants and all."

Naruto had to smile at that. She did have a point. "Well, like you said, you _were_ the guest. I wouldn't have felt right to not offer anything during your visit here. Speaking of which… "I should probably go and make you something hot to drink before you catch a cold or something for being out in rain," Naruto said, remembering the old landlord's words. Ignoring the fact that it was déjà vu at it's finest, Naruto started for the kitchen.

Sakura took a step after him. "Naruto, I came here to—"

He stopped, snapped his fingers suddenly. "Oh! I almost forgot!" he falsely exclaimed. Pulling her pen from his pocket, he turned and walked over to where she was standing, handed it to her. "Oji-san said you dropped this outside when you were leaving. Good thing he spotted it when he did or else it might have gotten water-damaged."

Ignoring the light scolding, Sakura gently took the pen from his grasp like a mother hen would care for a hatchling, warm relief uncorking itself from her diaphragm and spreading through out her entire body like a peaceful wave. "I must have looked for this stupid thing for over an hour," she murmured, tracing a finger over the outline of her fountain pen. I'd figured I had left it some place close by but I wasn't sure." She shook her head. "It was just one of those things that I had to find or else it would have bothered me forever," she said, not getting into any details or elaborations—and not needing to. She knew full well that he knew full well how stubborn she could get at times. Sakura figured Naruto must have known that too for he smiled.

"Well you'll have to thank Oji-san for finding it—he dropped it off. I was just holding on to it for safekeeping," he said, being modestly honest with her without any attempts of bravado. And even though he hadn't had time to check, Naruto suspected that the pen—aside from the usual wear and tear that she put it through—hadn't gotten really damaged. Besides, she should just be happy that she got it back in one piece—and he could easily tell just from looking at her face that she already was.

"_Though it would have been nice if she'd waited until I'd had something to eat,_" he thought sulkily, his stomach ravenous from not having had his breakfast yet. By now his precious ramen noodles were probably swimming in near lukewarm water since he hadn't remembered to place a cover over the lid to keep the steam from escaping while he'd been busy answering the door. That was a heartbreaker because the microwave that Oji-san had previously provided for him a while back was a third-rate piece of crap that didn't want to work half the time; he avoided using the thing as much as possible which wasn't hard considering that most of his meals came from boiled water. Plus the thing just looked dangerous to him, with all those weird buttons and numbers; almost like a ticking time bomb ready to explode in his kitchen. That and he really just hated electronics. Sakura could probably make the damn thing work though, if he asked nicely…

But he wasn't going to. Straightening out his sleep-tangled hair with the palms of his hands, Naruto re-cinched the knot around his bathrobe and straightened out his sleeves. "Um, I was just about to have breakfast…before you came in. If you don't mind, I'd like to go and finish eating before it gets cold."

Sakura smiled apologetically. That kind of explained his previous klutziness. "I had a feeling that I'd caught you at a bad time. I told your landlord that he didn't have to let me in, but…well, you know him better then I do," she said, shrugging helplessly. Sakura really didn't want to blame the landlord, especially after the kindness he'd shown to her, but they both knew it was the truth. "Please don't blame him, though. He was just doing what he thought was polite." She held up the bag that she'd been safeguarding for the last hour. "Hopefully this makes up for the inconvenience."

Naruto's expression was a predictable mask of confusion and bafflement, his eyes darting between her and the slightly damp-looking package that dangled from her hand. He'd noticed it when she'd first walked in but had paid little attention to it until now. "Um, what's that?" he asked woodenly. Even a bystander would be able to make the connection that she wasn't in the habit of giving him things out of the goodness of her heart. Knowing that she could turn uppity at the blink of an eye, Naruto gingerly took the package from her, looked inside the paper bag, then her in surprise. "Did you make these?

Sakura balked. Of course he _would_ have to ask that question and instantly put her on the spot. She'd already deliberated on whether or not to tell him that they were homemade. Seemed like a dumb thing to kick up a fuss over yet she thought it would sound better to say something that sounded more meaningful. Taking a chance, Sakura exclaimed irritably, "O-of course I did, dummy! Why else do you think I _had_ to leave so early?!" she awkwardly demanded, yet was strangely hopeful that she sounded bitchy enough to press Naruto into dropping the subject.

Apparently she didn't have to try to hard. Taking _that_ as the norm, Naruto said, "You mean it only took you an hour to make these? Wow. I guess that just goes to show how talented you really are." He smiled down at the bag of goodies. "These look just as good as the ones they make in the bakeries. Hopefully they weren't too much trouble for you to prepare.""

Sakura's cheek twitched and she glanced off to the side, grumbled, "We-well they weren't and I'm not expecting you to eat them all, but you'd better at least try some of them…so that I'll know if they're worth making again or not. And since I was rude and didn't bring you anything last night, well…I figured I owed you something for that." She then sighed loudly and folded her arms. "Anyways, just do your best to enjoy them and lets leave it at that, okay?"

Closing the bag, Naruto looked at her, smiled slightly and nodded in agreement. That sounded just fine to him. She clearly wasn't in the mood for answering questions, and he simply wasn't in the mood to ask them. Hell, he was content to just leave things be and not question her motives as far as anything was concerned. Plus he wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth; free food _was_ free food/good food. And it wasn't like she could poison him either. "Thanks for making these, Sakura-chan. I'll be sure to eat them all." He turned and, with out another word (he didn't know what else to say), walked into the kitchen to put them away.

Arms still folded, Sakura dropped the stern façade and relaxed a bit, the lightest of smiles touching her lips. Although it hadn't been much of a surprise where things had been concerned, Sakura was pleased that Naruto hadn't tried to raise a fit over the present/peace offering she'd brought for him. It certainly made it worthwhile to know she hadn't been walking conservatively through the wet streets protecting a package of goods for nothing. Of course, that was a silly thing to think as well. Proper etiquette decreed—as she'd been taught—that it was rude to come to someone's home without bringing a gift of some kind. Naruto had to have had some understanding along those lines as well.

"_Why am I worrying about this?_"

Sakura grasped her elbows with her hands and looked around the room, trying to ignore the chill that was threatening to settle in her bones like a bad flu virus. She sniffed the air, wrinkled her nose slightly. There was a faint but very definable tang of narcotic smoke in the apartment, the sort of smell that seemed to be associated with older buildings and structures for years and years to come; a real lived in sort of odor. It seemed an odd thing to note when considering that this was her second time here now. Her olfactory senses seemed to be right primed and working double time right now, modes of high efficiency. That or last nights rain had strongly affected her…except that it was raining right now. Maybe it was the deteriorating scent of paint reacting to the dampness or some time of mold (that was a gagging notion). _Something _was working it's unsightly magic on her right now. Annoyance inspired investigation, and she began to walk about the place like a curious cat looking for something to play with. The empty food containers and drinking cups littered around seemed like they made prime suspects but she couldn't remember them smelling this atrocious earlier. Nope, this seemed a bit more…recent…if that was possible. Walking over to the couch, she noted that the smell seemed to be even sharper now yet there was an odd familiarity to it; aged came to mind—

That's when she looked down and spotted the culprit: discarded cigarette butts sitting/floating in the bottom of an empty ramen container. Apparently Naruto's landlord had taken up a brief position of residence on the couch for whatever length of time. She could tell that he'd been sitting here because there was still a faint cloud of bitter smoke floating out of the cup like an ugly aftermath and the millimeter or two of remnant brown broth scattering the ashes around did little to nothing to staunch that smell. Curiosity and teenage adolescence rampant, Sakura wondered just what the landlord and Naruto had talked about for whatever length of the morning in private; yet another first to stack up on the list. She was normally not the sort of person who pried into non-life threatening matters without a particularly good reason for it but this last while was potentially threatening to make a mockery of that mannerism and Sakura couldn't say for sure if she liked that or not.

But what she _didn't _like right now was the smell of this living room and, apparently, it was up to her to do something about it and that's what she was going to do. Looking about the now familiar confines of the living room, Sakura spotted a few empty grocery bags lying on the floor along with some discarded junk food and potato chip bags. Grabbing the largest bags—including the big chip bags, she placed them on the couch and began stuffing them with what she considered were the grossest smelling cups, stacking one inside the other so that she could get rid of the whole lot in one large load. The chore seemed endless and it took some searching but by the time she was done, all the ramen cups, throwaway chopsticks and any other perishable food that was deemed capable of making a smell had been bagged away: three grocery bags and nearly two full chip bags full to be exact. There was probably other crap sitting around that she'd missed but what she'd picked up was the worst of it. It just needed a good airing out now, along with a can or two of air freshener to eviscerate some of the odors…and a quarantine sign stating that this complex was to be fumigated.

Snickering, Sakura tied the plastic bags tightly, and then tied them together and around the chip bags so that they could be properly sealed up, making a bag parade of sorts. Whatever. It looked a hell of a lot neater then before…well, a little bit. Picking them up the link by the middle bag, she trotted into the kitchen, stopping only briefly to stoop down and pick up some wrappers with her free hand. She then proceeded straight to the sink, or more precisely what was underneath it, that being the garbage can. That she happened to remember since it was where she dumped the remainder of that cake. She pulled it straight out and dropped the bags and wrappings inside, easily succeeding in filling it right full. Sakura contemplated stomping it down, looked down at her bare feet and immediately changed her mind. Instead she took the bag right out of the garbage can, pushed the other bags right down and tied it up in two solid knots. She dropped the bag beside the cupboard and started to look for another bag to replace its fallen companion when she spotted Naruto standing in front of the microwave, pushing several buttons in what looked to be frustration. That didn't surprise her since any electronic device with more then two buttons attached to it seemed to present a situation of bafflement for the poor boy. It wasn't meant to be condescending; it was just how his mind worked—or how she perceived it worked. Either way, Naruto and high/mid tech devices just didn't seem to jive. Combing out her hair with her fingers, she walked over to where he was standing.

"Having some problems?" she neutrally asked.

Naruto scratched the side of his head, looked over at her with a grumpy expression. "A little bit. I hate microwaves." He then glared back at the face of his current nemesis. "Especially this piece of crap. I've always had trouble trying to make this _thing _work," he exclaimed, putting an irritated tone of emphasis on the word 'thing'.

Sakura kept her face bland but inside there was an impish smile threatening to bloom over her lips. Clearing her voice so that she didn't happen to develop an insensitive case of the giggles, Sakura gently elbowed him out of the way so that she could get a look at what he was dealing with.

Naturally it was an older microwave: the type that didn't possess all the conventional settings like appropriate heat and time buttons for cooking different varieties of foods. This one just had the numerical pad, along with a defrost setting, clock, a lo/med/high power setting, and of course, the on and off buttons along with a large rectangular button to open it. Overall it should have been a very easy unit to operate. Even a child should have had little problems in making it work…"What are you having problems with," she asked, letting that near accustomed urge to get peevish and possibly smack his skull in for not being able to figure out a simple device dissipate.

"Ah, well I keep pushing buttons," he said, pushing a few just to prove his point, "but nothing's happening. It's just a piece of junk that doesn't want work most of the time." He made a dismissive gesture with his hands. "I should just throw it away."

Frowning slightly, she studied it again, this time peering at both the buttons and the screen. "I don't think it's got anything to do with the microwave itself, Naruto. Let's see now…" First thing she did was open the door, activating its dim interior light. Upon seeing his full cup of ramen sitting in there, a brief pang of sympathy touched her. She really had interrupted him when he'd been trying to have his morning meal. It wouldn't bother her as much if she didn't already know that he was recuperating, recovering from his injuries and working to get better. Breathing out a short exhalation, Sakura closed the door gently but firmly, making sure that it was properly closed. She then pushed the 'on' button but only got a beeping sound in return.

"See?" Naruto immediately exclaimed. "It's nothing but junk."

Ignoring him, she continued to stare at the screen, more so the four green zeros that shone brightly in a neat horizontal order, frowned again. The first digit was flashing on and off in a steady wink. She placed her finger over the '1' button and pushed it, watched as the blinking digit instantly configured to that chosen number. The second zero then proceeded to blink but instead of pressing another number, Sakura examined the keypad, made sure that there was no lettering or any other instructions pasted. Seeing none, she pressed the 'off' button, clearing the display completely so that now only three zeros showed on the screen. Smiling, Sakura then pushed the 'six' button and the 'on' button almost simulteniously and, as if knowing that it was in the hands of somebody competent, the machine instantly roared to life. She then gazed at an utterly astonished Naruto and exclaimed sweetly, "All better now."

Naruto's response was a typical one. "Umm, yeah, I can kinda see that. How'd you make it work though?"

Sakura's answer was blunt. "First show me what you usually do."

He shrugged. "Well…usually I push this button," he carefully pointed at the word 'clock' so as if not to trigger a nuclear meltdown, "but it usually doesn't work so I just start pressing buttons until I get it to go, but that doesn't happen very often," he said, punctuating the explanation with a predictable burst of laughter.

She shook her head. "Oh, you dummy. Why do you push the clock button?"

"Because it makes the numbers show up."

"What numbers?"

He pointed at the display, more so the numbers ticking down to zero. "Those numbers."

Sighing, Sakura waited until the microwave was done. As soon as it started to beep, she pushed the 'off' button. "Show me what you do," she said, slipping swiftly into the role of instructor.

As he'd already explained Naruto pushed the 'clock' button, again displaying a row of zeros. He then pushed several numerical buttons along with the 'on' button, trying to make it work like she had just done but was unable to match her results. "I don't understand," he muttered, feeling utterly scandalized. "Don't I have to push the stupid clock button to get it started?"

Again she was direct. "Nope."

"No?"

"No," she repeated.

"Well how'd you make it work so easily then?" Naruto demanded, his tone taking on a peevish note. "What the hell am I doing wrong?"

Sakura blinked at him. "Did your landlord even show you how to turn it on?"

Naruto's brow crested in thought. "Well…kind of, but he was pretty quick about it, and it was his to begin with. Guess I wasn't quite paying attention," he muttered. Opening the door, he reached inside, took his now steaming noodles out and placed them on top of the microwave before they could be subjected to any further abuse.

Taking pity on him, Sakura began to explain to him what he needed to now. "The clock button is only used when you want to set the time on it. It's no different then setting a watch or a clock on the wall. You only use that when you want to know what time it is in the day." She pushed the button, looked over at a nearby clock that was hopefully accurate and set the appropriate time so that the two matched. "This button, you never have to press again. Now if you want to cook something," she continued to extrapolate, running the back of her hand down the numerical keys, "then all you have to do is push these buttons along with this button." She pointed at the 'on' button.

"All of them?"

Sakura sucked in her breath, her patience beginning to wobble at this point. "No, just for how long you want to cook your food. Lets say you want to cook your food for forty second. You would just push the number four button because there's already a zero behind it and then the on button. But if you want to cook something for longer, say four minutes, then you push the four button, then the zero button, then the on button." Before he could throw her a confused response, she quickly added, "It's just the way your microwave is programmed. Give it a little time and you'll get used to it." Looking at his eyes, Sakura could tell that some of this was beginning to take root in his psyche…or at least she hoped it was.

"So it's just the numbers and the on button I have to worry about?" he asked, making a real attempt to process this newfound knowledge for himself. "Nothing else?"

"Not really. The only other button you _do _need to know is the off button. This is just so that you can clear the display screen back to zero. This way you won't have any problems cooking any additional meals for yourself. It's no different then turning off a TV or a light when you're done with it. The difference with a microwave is that when you press the off button, it just resets the functions but doesn't totally shut it off. It'll always stay on unless you unplug it from the wall socket. " She scrutinized him carefully in the same sort of way that teachers tended to do to students when they might not necessarily be on the same page. "Do you kind of understand how it works now? Just a little bit?"

Naruto chewed his lower lip thoughtfully as he peered at the machine, feeling a hell of a lot more enlightened now then he had two minutes ago. It wasn't necessarily going to change his outlook on how he felt about electrical devices—he still thought of them as junk—but at least he was somewhat freed from the supposition that the damn contraptions didn't totally possess a mind of their own…at least most of them. "Yeah, I kinda do," he finally said. "Some of it still doesn't quite ring a bell but I'm sure it'll come together with a little practice."

Sakura nodded; overly glad to see that he was taking a sensible approach to this. She'd helped him some time ago with chakra control (ignoring the likely fact that he'd only asked in an attempt to upstage Sasuke) and it really seemed to work wonders for him. He had to have had some additional help along the way but it was still pleasing to know that she'd contributed in some way that benefited in furthering himself. She wasn't necessarily going to help him with every single problem that came his way but knowing that he listened when she did aid him gave Sakura an indisputable warm feeling inside, even if it was just over something simple like a microwave.

"Well there's always those sweet buns for you to practice on. Just please try not to ruin them or anything; I did put a lot of effort into making them," she reiterated her lie again, though in her ears it didn't seem as forced this time around. That _couldn't_ be a good thing… but it didn't necessarily seem like a terrible thing either. A little white lie with a lot of merit seemed a whole lot better then the very opposite of that phrase.

Didn't it?

And she'd already been over this. Getting her brain back on track, Sakura quickly said, "Well I'm glad you've got it figured it out. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to wash the dishes that I used last night while your having your breakfast. I'll, uh, wash the other dishes too since it only makes sense to do so." Hands clasped behind her back she steered away from him and calmly walked back to the sink, not caring how weird that last statement sounded.

Naruto made a token protest. "Sakura-chan, please, you don't have to—"

Sakura peered over her shoulder and smiled. "You need to start keeping your apartment more tidy, Naruto. It's not really polite when you have guests over," she lectured, that all-too familiar high-handed tone taking precedence though it deliberately lacked the frosty contours of irritation. Before he could say another word, Sakura turned and, finding and plugging in a stopper, began to fill the sink with hot water and soap from a nearby dispenser and began to work.

Lifting his hand in a prohibiting gesture, Naruto drew breath into his lungs, prepared to voice another objection…and simulteniously dropped both his hand and head in exasperation in that same moment. He could try and put up a veto front all he wanted but it would be a waste of time. It would have been tantamount to poking a rhinoceros on its thick skin. Irritation would sooner or later override its serene nature and eventually it would start charging at its aggressor. That was practically Sakura in a nutshell! And even if he tried to say something deterring she would just turn around and spout some more empowering jargon on guest etiquette. It would virtually be a recap of her speech from last night/this morning and that was something he could do without; the patience just wasn't there, and deflecting a charging rhino just totally seemed beyond his ability right now.

But she did warm up his noodles and right now his stomach was churning like a witches' kettle. Taking the ramen cup off of the microwave and grabbing a used set of chopsticks, Naruto reluctantly took a seat at the table, feeling like a worm that was dangling on a hook. Etiquette or not, he _really_ didn't feel comfortable sitting here and eating while she was working at the sink doing _his _dishes but what else was he going to do? Eat in the bathroom? Not the worst idea in the world but not one he was going to act on either. He'd never done it before so why start now? Repressing a frown, Naruto dipped his chopsticks into the steaming broth and began to eat, slowly sipping the noodles into his mouth so that he didn't burn his lips. Not quite as hot as he preferred them but they were still quite edible. Doing his best to try and enjoy the soup, Naruto put the clatter of dishes on ignore and tried to organize his present thoughts.

The real truth was that Sakura being here altogether was really putting him on the defensive. Oji-san's long-winded anecdotes and lessons, while all in good form, had unnerved him somewhat. The way he'd worded a couple things made him feel like he was almost an outsider to both Sasuke and Sakura, like he didn't have a real integral part on the team. Naruto wasn't totally daft and even he knew that that wasn't the old man's intentions, but the miserable dreams he'd been having along with Sakura's oddly nice behavior was making him edgy. If it weren't for that damned pen, he would have assumed that she was totally off her rocker being here and do everything in his power to kick her out of the apartment. He could honestly admit that he wasn't fully prepared to see her again so soon and had literally been caught off guard by her arrival. It was like finishing one tough battle and being drawn into another but he should have assumed that things wouldn't work out like he wanted them after Oji-san had shown him the pen. That seemed to be the story of his friggen life lately and there wasn't much he could do about it. No, the best thing he could is eat his noodles as quickly as possible, run to the bathroom to perform his morning rituals—wash, brush his teeth, comb his hair, perform number one or two (possibly)—and hope that she went on her merry way. He briefly remembered Oji-san mentioning something about talking to the Hokage for training so it wasn't like she could spend all day here anyway—or so he hoped. Apparently she hadn't been joking around about that matter. Well that was good for her, he supposed. It wasn't like she wasn't smart or tough enough for whatever training she would have to endure. It couldn't be any harder then whatever perverted Ero-sennin had in store for him.

Naruto sighed, remembered Oji-san's insistent words on finding somebody to keep his place tidy, was even more insistent on having the person who was currently washing and drying his dishes at a steady pace. She really did seem like a prime candidate for the job, but whether or not he wanted to give her a key for the place so that she could come in here whenever she wanted was up for debate. And he was still somewhat convinced that if he broached the subject, she'd do little more then give him the finger, good mood or not. But if Oba-san wasn't doing as well like Oji-san had described, then he didn't have much choice. He really couldn't think of anybody else that would be right for the task, especially considering that the village was still being repaired from the damage that that snake-prick, Orochimaru, had caused during his attack. All available hands were either taking on tasks within the village or else completing whatever rank missions needed accomplishing. Kakashi-sensei was definitely out of the question then, and Iruka-sensei would be busier then ever training cadets and monitoring their progress. That meant—

"Did you hear me?"

Naruto looked up from his ramen, startled, a quizzical look on his face. "Huh?"

Holding a freshly washed dish in her hand, Sakura gave him an admonishing look. "You must really be out of it. I said I went and talked to Tsunade-sama earlier. Do you remember me telling you I was going to ask if she would take me on as her apprentice? Well she was sort of busy and it took a little persuasion—and a little consideration from Kakashi-sensei—to sway her, but she eventually agreed to take me on as a potential student," she happily exclaimed, a very distinctive note of triumph residing on her tongue.

Naruto offered a strong nod of encouragement, found it quite easy to smile along with her at the accomplishment in spite of his own web of confusion. It was the first time in a while he'd seen her legitimately happy since before Sasuke had left, before this whole stupid mess had started. This whole apprentice thing, he'd thought she'd been talking out of her…well, cute posterior, or just for the sake of continuing a conversation. And while he'd been both verbally and mentally supportive, he hadn't been totally assured that she'd go and actually talk to her about the matter. Tsunade-baa-chan was seriously, _seriously_ scary at times; hell, most times was a better way to put it. She was fully capable of terrifying ninety-five percent of the people that came her way with just a stern glance. To know that and yet still seek her out in the hopes of tuition…

"Wow, that's really good to hear, Sakura-chan. You had a lot of guts to go and ask for a request like that and I'm…I know that Sasuke would be real proud of you," he said, briefly stuttering for a moment. He really wasn't sure how Sasuke would have felt about that but it would probably help to pacify her deed. Despite how Sasuke would have felt, Naruto _was _sincerely proud of what she had accomplished for herself. Whether that mattered or not… "So when are you supposed to report to her for training?" Naruto asked inquisitively for both obvious and not so obvious reasons.

Drying the dish she was holding and placing it on top of the others next to the sink where she'd been stacking the assortment in a tidy assembly for Naruto to put away, Sakura leaned over to the left for a moment, "Um, in a bit actually," she answered, her sharp gaze finding the clock on his wall; a few minutes past nine-thirty was what it read (she hoped that was the right time). "I'm supposed to meet with her between ten-fifteen and ten-thirty but I'd like to get there a little earlier if possible. She had said that her mornings tended to let up after nine but there was still extra work that she needed to complete before the majority of the workload was completed. I would have been here earlier but I had a few things I needed to do. Plus, I was looking for my pen as well—thought I had dropped it down one of the streets or something," she explained bashfully.

Naruto again nodded, thankful for her openness. He supposed it was a good thing that she'd taken the extra few moments to look for her pen or else she might have shown up when he and Oji-san were talking. Otherwise it might have made for an awkward moment. "Well you got it back and that's the important thing," he told her. Gobbling up the last of his soup, Naruto dropped his chopsticks into the cup and stood up, stretched extravagantly as if he'd finished a magnificent banquet (that would have been nice). "But I think I'm going to get changed and get cleaned up a bit. Um, thank you for doing the dishes for me and helping me with the microwave. I would have figured it out eventually," he said, trying but not quite able to hide the ambivalence out of his voice. He seriously hated that damned machine but he did feel confident that he'd be able to master it on his own. That and Sakura-chan had a strangely uncanny knack for making instructions stick and stay planted in his head. He could even remember most of her explanations—well, the important ones anyways. "Again, thank you for the help."

Sakura smiled in that sunny way of hers. "It's really no problem. You'll figure it out if you take a little time to practice. But yes, you go and get tidied up." She then smirked, jokingly added. "I was getting a little tired of seeing you in your bathrobe anyways."

"_Yeah, well that wouldn't such a problem it you'd just leave me alone_" Naruto mentally grumbled, his brain abruptly running on autopilot. The thought immediately left him with a strong sense of shame…and a strange feeling of alleviation that made his teeth chatter. In defense of the former, she had seen him in his pajamas since last night so it seemed almost natural to think in such crabby terms. Contrary to what people thought of him he _did _possess a sense of modesty. "I might be a while in the bathroom so you really don't need to wait around for me in case you get strapped for time," he said apologetically, hoping that didn't sound overly superficial. Though if number two had to happen, well…it wouldn't be much of a lie. "Thanks again for baking those sweets for me," keenly away that that phrase was becoming a broken record.

Sakura's brow furrowed for the briefest of instances but then she nodded. "Don't worry about it. There were a few things I wanted to talk to you about but you're right—I am a little stressed for time. I'm just going to finish up these dishes and do a couple other things and then I'll be on my way," she explained lightly, soothingly.

Taking relief in that assessment, Naruto stood up a little straighter. "Great. Hopefully I can see you off before you leave." Cinching his sash around his robe, he turned and headed for the bathroom, feeling utterly relieved that he could finally create some honest distance right now—and he really did have to pee—

"Naruto?"

Figures. Naruto quirkily glanced over his shoulder, hid his perturbation. "Yes?"

Sakura brushed a lock of elegant salmon colored hair out of her left eye, gently cleared her throat. "Did you sleep okay? I mean, I should have asked you that when I walked in here the first place. Its just, well, I—"

Naruto grinned broadly. "After that one bad dream you woke me from, I slept like a log. Seriously, Sakura-chan; it was one of the best snoozes' I've had in a long time. I kind of wished I could have slept longer, but Oji-san, well, he woke me up so I didn't have much time to enjoy it. It was such a beautiful dream too, about an all you can eat ramen buffet. All different types and flavors and endless—it almost makes me sick to think of what I missed out on," he said both extravagantly and sadly.

A silent alarm went off in Sakura's head but she stuck it on the backburner, instead sighed incredulously. "You and your ramen. Well as long as you slept well, then that's fine by my books. You'd better go now and freshen up a bit. I'll try to stay around for as long as I can." Her gaze became hard and authoritative. "Go on; I can smell you from here."

Raising his hand in a sort of wave, Naruto disappeared around the corner, the déjà vu sound cycle of a door being opened and solidly closed and then locked, followed immediately by the activation of the motorized whirl of the fan meeting her ears. Turning back to the remainder of the dishes left in the sink, only a few utensils really, Sakura's lips curled into that of a concerned frown. Being around him this closely now, Naruto's mannerisms and personality quirks were starting to register in her brain like a memorization pattern; meaning that she could tell when he was being sincere and when he was trying to pull the wool over her eyes, like he'd tried to do just now. Whether it had been a stroke of deliberateness or ignorance, the way he'd been twitching like a scared rabbit before she'd lulled him to sleep was not the sort of reaction that came from an all-you-can-eat ramen buffet. She had hoped that after spending this much time together that he would turn around and open up to her a bit, maybe let her in on what was troubling him so much. She had to imagine that he could only feel better if he got it out in the open, as long it wasn't too personal or embarrassing for him; he could always talk to his landlord if it came to that. For all she knew he probably already had. But then if he had, wouldn't that mean he'd be more forthright now?

Yeah, that was the question and one that she wasn't sure she could try to answer. It's not like she could just be totally nosy and ask him (Naruto) what they'd talked about while she'd been away. She was perturbed, not paranoid. And yet it might just be best to come out and ask him directly what was worrying him so. Maybe a direct question would lead to a direct answer. It wasn't like she was worried about him telling her to get lost—he'd have told her years ago if that were the case. And…he did say that he loved her. It might have been off the top of his head but she had to think that the sincerity _was_ there. Maybe it was time to see if he really meant that…

Drying the last spoon, Sakura set it next to the others and set the dishtowel along the edge of the counter, allowing it to air-dry. Yes, that was she was going to do. As soon as he got out of the bathroom—and if it was within time constraints, she was going to ask him to tell her what he had been dreaming about that had him so rattled. She was convinced that it would make him feel better in the long run, maybe not so much in the short, but whatever initial embarrassment he might have felt would dissipate eventually. And if he raised a polite fuss, then she could just turn around and remind him about that dinner she'd promised. Surely he'd provide her with some straight answers then and if not, then she could always pummel it out of him but that was better to be left as a last ditch resort. She _was_ a guest after all, and considered herself fairly diplomatic when it came to verbal situations. Plus she did help him with his microwave. That had to put the odds in her favor just a little.

Sakura smiled reassuringly, felt her confidence increasingly growing along with the firm belief that she was doing the right thing. He had always listened to her before and thus she held no qualms that things would be any different now. It seemed unrealistic to think otherwise. And…she could also ask him if he'd read or had even seen that note. Now that she was inside again, any present desire to take a reprimanding attitude was completely overwritten by a simple curiosity. Sakura supposed she could always take a quick looksie in his room but decided against it. She had seen enough in the dark to know that it was a real pigsty, dangerous as well. Reaching into the sink, Sakura took the plug out and let the warm soapy water drain away. Once it was empty, Sakura turned the faucet on again and splashed water against the remainder soapsuds, cleaning the sink completely, household habits of her own coming into play. This task done, she then decided that she would return her attention towards the living room; cleaning out whatever garbage she had missed until Naruto was out of the bathroom. Any additional work was something she would leave up to him. Drying her hands, Sakura walked out of the kitchen and started to walk into the living room, paused in the hallway, looked at the bathroom door, eyelashes fluttering with inquisitiveness.

She hoped that he was okay. Sakura didn't need woman intuition to know that he didn't seem himself but that seemed tolerable considering that he hadn't gotten much sleep. Hell, she wasn't in the best of shape either but she was coping, and she knew he was too. She couldn't help him with that no, but she felt assured that she _could_ help him with whatever was on his mind mentally. An impeccable need drove her to that and she felt compelled to follow that need. It wasn't just the fact that she'd promised herself to be nicer to Naruto or her girl time with Ino or any of that. No, right now she just…she just wanted to be here for him. He'd grown on her quite frankly and some maternal part of her didn't seem to mind that at all.

"_Sail on silver boy. Sail on by…"_

Sakura smiled softly at the memory, at the thought of being able to protect him at his time of need. The memory invoked pleasant warmth that spread through her body like a spike of sunshine, all the way down to the nails on her toes. He'd slept after that, slept after she'd awoken, slept when she'd left him the note, slept while she'd gently pulled the blanket over him, smoothed his hair, caressed his warm cheek—

"_**Gush later. Let's get some work done before we need to leave, hmm**__._**"**

Pulling her head back into reality, Sakura coughed lightly and gently rapped her fist against the wall in a dismissive gesture. Right, time to kill some time. Hopefully Naruto got out of the bathroom before she had to leave. She was feeling boisterous right now and needed somebody (namely him) to bounce that energy off of and had no qualms that he would disappoint her in that aspect.

If he ever hurried up that is. Grinning with all of the exuberance of a young teenager on a mission that could only end in success, Sakura stepped out of the hallway, into the living room and began to get down to business.

* * *

Closing the door behind himself and hastily flicking both the light and fan switch on, Naruto waited until the latter was at maximum hum before sighing heartily, an expansive gesture that served only to boil out a fraction of the unnerving feeling that had been bubbling in his gut. Any relief that might have been beneficial was instantly overturned by a sense of frustration for feeling so yellow-bellied right now. Regardless of his fine sense of bladder control and the solidity of morning rituals, being in here was an absolute copout, a barrier to keep her from intruding. Yeah, he was going to make a really great future Hokage at this rate. How was he supposed to get the people to respect him when he couldn't even understand his own teammates? Sasuke goes off on a wild tear and abandons the village, making a total mess of things in the process and totally not giving a crap whom cleans it up, yet Sakura was still content to keep loving him and give him the benefit of a doubt through it all. Oji-san had tried to explain that part to him—about first loves'—but it hadn't come out all that clear in his mind and he doubted it ever would. And no matter how knowledgeable he might have claimed to be in that area, Naruto doubted that even Oji-san really understood that whole matter either. Discrediting him seemed an easy thing to do right now. Especially when Naruto himself was pretty much lumped into the same category—Sakura being his first love and all—but he considered that invalidated since he'd already promised himself to give up on her. After all she would never see him for anything else besides an idiot that was in her way all the time, like giving attention to an attractive pony that didn't want attention. Well if that's what it took to be a bigger man then he was fine with that. He didn't have to be happy about it, but he _could _live with it, and it seemed like the best thing to do under these circumstances; leave the two to their own devices.

So how was he supposed to get over her when she kept showing up here then? And why had he felt so pressed to put distance between her and himself right now? The first question probably answered the second, and he'd already accepted the practicality that he couldn't hope to avoid her—being on the same squad and all. He would have like to digest a few things mentally but the whole pen matter had all but nullified that hope and there wasn't much he could do aside from accepting and tolerating it. Accepting it was one thing, but standing in here like a dummy trying to buy time…

No, it was cowardly and Naruto was anything but that. He'd deal with her in his own way if he had to but he wasn't going to allow himself to feel like she'd chased him in here, not in his own home. Hell no. Undoing his sash and tossing his bathrobe in the corner along with his t-shirt, he stepped over to the sink, turned both faucets on so that the water mixed, more so on a shade of the hot side before splashing his face, instantly feeling a lot more awake then he had a minute ago. It felt so refreshing that he splashed himself a few more times for good measure, sighing with vigorous relief. Oh did that feel good. Looking at himself in the mirror, Naruto wasn't all that impressed with the reflection that gazed wearily back at him. Holy hell did he look like a mess right now. Yuck. Good thing he wasn't the sort of person that was ruled by narcissism otherwise he might have been concerned. Naruto then sniffed himself, considered whether he really needed a shower right now or not. He didn't totally reek of BO but it wouldn't hurt him either if he hosed himself down either. Overcome with a sense of grubbiness, Naruto stripped down, hopped in the shower and proceeded to rinse himself down, making sure to apply a generous amount of shampoo and conditioner to his scalp as well as scrubbing the rest of his body down with a bar of male-scented soap. By the time he was done and toweling himself down, he felt a hell of a lot more awake and a lot less muddled. Yeah, it had been real foolish to think that he could stay in here forever. Tsunade-baa-chan was already trying to treat him like a prisoner in the village. Letting her potential apprentice make him feel the same way…yeah, that made a lot of sense. Wrapping the same towel around his waist, Naruto opened a drawer underneath the sink and grabbed a toothbrush and a half-filled tube of toothpaste, squeezed a generous portion out on the brush, then proceeded to giving his teeth, gums and tongue a hard scrubbing (he didn't brush his teeth as often as he should have). Once he felt satisfied that his mouth was clean enough, he spat the bubbling minted-smelling foam into the sink and rinsed his mouth thoroughly with water, spat again, cleaned his brush, then splashed some water into the sink to clean the remaining mess away along with his brush. Tapping his brush clean, Naruto stuck the two items back into the drawer, reached inside for a small container of men's deodorant, opened the lid and gave his underarms a quick swipe. He didn't care much for the smelly stuff but again Oji-san had been persistent in telling him that guys and girls, no matter their profession, were expected to use these types of products sooner or later for hygienic reasons. It made sense from his perspective and it seemed like too petty of a detail to argue over, so he just stuck it on once in a while for the benefit of not totally smelling like a dirty shirt. Closing the lid and placing it back, Naruto shut the drawer, looked himself in the mirror again. His hair had all the discipline of a shaggy dog: a maze of tangles and chaotic strands but he liked it that way…well, almost. A quick comb through to take out some of the knots was what he preferred, but his only comb was in his bedroom. No big deal. He was pretty much done in here anyways.

Picking up his bathrobe off the floor and putting it back on, Naruto grabbed his t-shirt, shorts and unmentionables, stuffed them both in an empty pocket. Then, unlocking and opening the door along with shutting the light off (he deliberately left the fan on), Naruto walked out of the bathroom and made the short jaunt to his room. From behind, Naruto thought he could a rustling of movement coming from the living room. He supposed that that was the answer to his question. Once inside his room, Naruto tossed the previous articles of clothing aside and made sure that the door was firmly closed before proceeding to disrobe completely. Finding his comb and gave his scalp a once over, Naruto placed it on his bed so that he'd remember to put it back in the bathroom and began to search for some fresh clothes to wear. Really not the easiest thing to do when his room was in a total friggin shambles and he practically wore the same thing day in and day out. Managing to find a clean pair of underwear, Naruto settled on a gray sweatshirt and a pair of black slacks to wear along with a pair of comfortable socks. Might as well try to wear something warmish when considering how well the furnace worked in this place. Good thing he'd had a hot shower to begin with; the dampness of this place was really starting to settle in on his bones. Wearing that bathrobe might have been a good idea but frankly he really was getting a little tired of wearing it around her. Looking around the room, Naruto noticed that his still-lit lamp had toppled over. No doubt when he'd been in the agitated process of constructing a rasengan to settle his sluggish doubts. Naruto straightened it up and shut the light off, looked down at the drawer shelf where he'd stuck Sakura's note away. For a moment he thought it might be useful if he had it on him but decided not to bother with it. She'd probably forgotten all about it by now just because of its earlier unplanned obscurity anyways. Besides it wasn't all that important now. Speaking of which…

Yeah, she was still here and he had some doubts that she'd leave before getting a few more digs in, no matter the length of time he tried to shave away. That wasn't really his style anyways: keeping himself stashed while things were going on, no matter his insecurities. Running his fingers though his hair and taking a firm breath, Naruto grabbed his towel and comb off the bed and left the sanctity of his bedroom without trepidation. Walking back down the hallway, Naruto stopped at the bedroom and deposited his comb, hung his towel back up and shut the fan off. Using that droning pitch as a mask, Naruto quickly shuffled up the living room entrance where he'd heard that noise from earlier, looked inside, smiled uneasily.

Hunched over a large bag that looked to be half filled with familiar paraphernalia and garbage, Sakura looked busy as she sorted out various materials from the coffee table, her attentive hands working to distinguish what she perceived was garbage and what was…less crappy. Though he doubted it, Naruto hoped that she wasn't junking anything importantish. Growing up alone had crafted him with the bad habit of being a packrat. A lot of the papers' he had were mostly insignificant and irrelevant yet he kept them just for the sake of keeping them. Nobody had really taught him how to file notes or determine what was important and what wasn't. He supposed he could have asked for assistance at some point but he was a bit too hardheaded for such a petty matter. It just made more sense to keep everything and not burst a gut over it. He never would have imagined that she would be sorting through his things like a demented secretary. A lovesick part of him really appreciated her for doing that for him…but he was also keeping grounded enough to know that she was only doing this to kill time. For what purpose he didn't know but he wouldn't find out at this rate.

Maybe he never would. Taking a slow breath, Naruto gently cleared his throat, said aloud, "You don't really need to do that, ya know."

Whirling around from her hunched position, Sakura's hip bumped against the coffee table, causing a small avalanche of crap to fall to the floor—mostly some more empty ramen cups, junk food bags, papers and loose items; nothing substantial in noise. Even so, Sakura ran a hand over her face and hair in disbelief. In all her life she'd never been in a home where garbage had taken such a degree of precedence. She supposed that this was what was considered the normal lifestyle of a regular bachelor. In translation: the place was desperately crying for a woman's touch to extend some cleanliness on this fiasco. "Naruto, you really, _really_ need to make more time for house cleaning." She looked up at him, gave his choice of attire a once over, smiled critically, "I suppose you just picked all that up off the floor, didn't you?" In truth she liked it. It was a nice change of pace from his trademark orange jumpsuit. While not quite as colorful, it offered interesting tones of a mature nature. Actually, whether he picked up off the floor or not, she found that style of clothing to be downright attractive on him. Naruto could be rather handsome looking when placed in the right light.

Oblivious to her private thoughts and her teasing entirely, Naruto shook his head at the question. "This was just some old stuff I had kicking around in the drawers. My regular clothes were torn up from training, so Oji-san took them to Oba-san so that she could repair them." "These…" he tugged at his sweatshirt, "I'm just wearing these because of how cold this place gets when the weather turns crappy." Thinking about it now, Naruto wasn't sure if he'd ever worn this stuff before. Gray and black were a far cry from his favorite colors, but they were the only things he could find that didn't look totally disheveled and…and why did it matter to him what she thought of his clothing in the first place? Shrugging mentally, Naruto switched gears and asked, "I didn't think you'd still be here. When do you need to report to Tsunade-baa-chan again?"

Pulling some more garbage off the floor and plopping it into the bag, filling it to the brim, Sakura stood up smoothly like an athlete ready to run a race, tied the bag. "By around ten-thirty was when she wanted me to be there," Sakura reiterated patiently. "I'd like to be there before then to make a good impression but I figure I've got a little time until I need to be there." She then held up the bag she was holding, said, "Last night when I came out here to sleep on the couch, I accidentally knocked some stuff over on the floor. Figured I'd do you a favor and clean this up for you before I left." Actually she couldn't remember if she'd knocked anything over or not, but the alibi was rock solid for the most part. And it wasn't like he could argue with a full bag of garbage. She assumed that he must have reached that same conclusion too for he walked over to her and gently took the bag from her grasp.

"Sorry about that," he murmured bashfully. "Aside from Oji-san and Oba-san, I hardly get much for company over here, let alone have people spend the night so I usually don't have much reason to keep the place clean." Certainly not the greatest explanation in the world but it was straightforward and offered no apologies for his choice of lifestyle. Yet he remembered the small fit that Oji-san had pitched earlier about tidiness and added quickly in pacification, "But I'm going to do some housecleaning after you leave here. I figure I should start keeping some better habits then what I have been. Besides it's not really right for you to be doing my housecleaning when I should be the one doing it." That part was true. Good intentions or not, he just wasn't okay on standing aside and letting her do what she wanted here. It seemed like a decision based more on petulance then anything but that was how he felt. Nodding his thanks, Naruto took the bag over to the porch area and placed it by the front door. He could toss it in the dumpster later. A thought suddenly touched his mind. "Uh, what did you end up saying to your mom? I can't imagine she would have been pleased with you being out all night."

Touching her index fingers together in a gesture of embarrassment, Sakura said, "Um, well, after leaving here, I went and talked to Ino at her house. She, uh, promised to cover for me so that I could avoid getting into trouble with Okaa-san. It took a little persuasion but she eventually agreed. She also told me to tell you that she and her team are planning a party for Chouji sometime tonight and that all the squads are invited. It's sort of a united celebration to good health for all the guys in the hospital after…well, you know.

Naruto nodded gravely. Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba, Neji and Rock Lee (Bushy brows to him); all of those guys had fought with everything they had in an attempt to try and bring Sasuke back to the village. At the very least they deserved something like this to honor their bravery. He was happy to know that people were acknowledging their contributions to that…well, failed cause. "That's good to hear. Do you know what time their planning that party?"

She shook her head. "They're going to wait and make sure that he's getting out of the hospital today before giving any further details. They'll get everyone together and make plans from there." Sakura gave him a light smile. "I _assume _you'll be there?"

If she'd been expecting an immediate affirmative, she'd be in for a shock. Naruto shrugged. "I'd like to though I guess it depends on how I'm feeling later. I might just try and sleep if possible." After all he was still on the mend as well. Surely she had to understand that.

Sakura kept her face neutral but inside she was frowning. Naruto was potentially turning up a free meal? That _really_ didn't seem likely. She couldn't see him being fatigued enough to pass up such a golden opportunity. Acting on a suspicion, Sakura said flatly, "Well it's up to you whether you feel like going or not. I just promised her that I'd pass the message along to you."

"Oh no, I totally understand what you mean," Naruto quickly said, catching those brief but familiar undertones of crankiness. "I just meant that because I didn't get much sleep this morning, I might end up napping the afternoon away and may not be around for that celebration so you'll just have to give my regards in my place if that happens." Walking past her to the kitchen, Naruto inwardly smiled at himself for handling that so well but deep down he really hoped he was awake for that. Free food was again free food, and knowing Chouji's eye for exquisite cuisine, he'd pick out of the better restaurants in the village. Ah well. He could always hit up Ichiraku's later.

As if on cue, Sakura suddenly chimed in with, "But you'll be awake around noonish, won't you?"

Naruto looked back at her, thoughts of housecleaning filling his head. "Should be. Why?"

Sakura smiled, but it was an embarrassed looking expression. "Well, see, I wrote you this note before I left here and put it underneath your glass in your bedroom as a coaster. I was sort of hoping you would have seen it when you got up this morning but being that it was in an obscure place, it didn't seem likely that you would find it unless you picked the glass up. Um, you didn't happen to see it, did you?"

As soon as he heard the word 'note', Naruto's stomach for whatever reason immediately started to churn like it had been caught in a raging typhoon. He could have sworn because of its insignificance that she wouldn't bother bringing it up. It seemed absolutely stupid to feel this worked up about it about something like this and yet he was. Resisting the impulse to swallow the apple in his throat, Naruto carefully asked, "A note?"

Sighing notable, Sakura said, "I figured you wouldn't see it. I just wrote that I was going to take you out for dinner at noon or whenever I got finished up with my lesson with Tsunade-sama if she does take me on as a student. It was just bugging me that I put it in such a stupid place when I should have had it in plain sight just in case I didn't see you until later. Sorry about that."

Naruto scratched his head, felt that weird anxiety drift out of him like a heavy steam. "I, uh, wouldn't worry about it too much," he said, though it clearly seemed that this had been an important matter for her. He honestly wanted to tell her that he had seen and read it yet he still felt that odd uncomfortable feeling about being around her. It _just_ didn't feel like she was being totally legit right now. Deep down he knew that if he hadn't seen and approached her on the bridge, hadn't opened his big mouth to begin with…. she would never have come over here in the hopes of looking for a shoulder to cry on. From the very start it had been all about Sasuke, had known all along that it had been about Sasuke but had tried to allow himself not to think like that, to not let jealousy get a solid grip on his psyche. It had been the right thing to do, the only possible thing that he could have done, be the 'bigger man' as Oji-san had already told him. He supposed that this was his cross to bear for asking her if Sasuke was really worth all the grief. Maybe he was destined to suffer for instigating the whole matter in the first place. It was just hard to say.

"So you think you'll be around?" she asked, her warm voice (which was still oddly strange to him) cutting into his thoughts. It really seemed like she was doing that a lot lately.

Biting his lip visibly, Naruto pretended to consider while he was really trying to find a way to get out of the whole deal, which again seemed totally taboo to him. Hell, two days ago he would have crawled through a ring of fire just to get her to go out with him, but the commitment he'd made for himself brought that matter to a null. Again, how was he supposed to stay steadfast to that if she wouldn't leave him alone now? Feeling cornered, Naruto babbled a reply, "W-well maybe. I'll see how I feel after I get done kicking the cobwebs out of here." He then shook his head as if to clear some of his own, pressed the back of his hand against his forehead. "I'm not feeling all that great today. Might be coming down with a cold or something," he added though in all honesty he couldn't recall at all ever being really sick, aside from getting the cramps from food poisoning. Another 'perk' of having the demon fox as a tenant.

_Now_ Sakura was confused. Okay, she could kind of understand him not attending Chouji's party, being that that was more of a spur of the moment deal, fine, sure; but turning down a date at Ichiraku's, and with her as the _date_? What the hell? Housecleaning or not, something in this equation was not adding up. Taking four long steps forward, Sakura examined Naruto's face with all the intent of an apprenticing nurse/medical ninja in training. She considered feeling his brow for a second—being that it would be easier to tell if he'd suddenly spiked a fever—but decided against it. "You don't look all that sick," she deduced after a couple seconds of careful observation. His pupils seemed normal (at least to her) and he wasn't sweating bullets, shivering nor coughing. She thought he seemed rather healthyish to her standards. "I can pick you up some medicine from Tsunade-sama if you're not feeling all that great," Sakura cheerfully offered. "I'm sure she has some sort of concoction that could help you out. I could bring it over, and then give you a hand with cleaning your apartment so that you get it done faster. That way I can still take you out for ramen. You can take a nap if you want afterwards and then hopefully you'll feel up to going out for the party that Ino's putting on for Chouji." It seemed like logical reasoning to her, but it was the fact that she was _trying _to reason with him that made this so bizarre. Even now, as she looked at him, his eyes had a real dodgy look and his body language—well, he was fidgeting like a cat. It almost seemed to her that he was searching for a legible excuse to try and get out of the plans she'd made for him. Why he would do that…well, she had no idea and somehow she doubted that he was going to let her in on whatever problems he was having without some sort of persuasion. It probably had something to do with those stupid nightmares again. What in the hell was dancing though his head that had him this worked up? She sure would have liked to know but again she doubted that he'd flat out tell him.

"_But I should still try to do something…_"

As if hearing her mental question, a slightly exasperated Naruto shook his head. "It's up to you to do whatever you want I guess. I can handle the cleaning by myself and don't need any help with that. And you don't need to pick me up any medication either. Tsunade-baa-chan gave me enough of that crap already." His annoyed tone was directed more towards the well-endowed Hokage then Sakura, but that wasn't always easy to distinguish to the person who was listening—and it wasn't quite true either. Whatever purposes she had in mind, Naruto was getting to the point where he didn't want to argue with her anymore, was to the point where he just wanted her to stop with whatever charade she was trying to pull. He wasn't…he didn't know how he was supposed to feel right now. Annoyance didn't seem like the right word, but the strange shroud that was starting to fill his mind that could almost be defined as a reddish color was making him…peevish.

His facial expression must have been clearly visible because Sakura abruptly asked, "Naruto? Something wrong?"

Resisting the urge to say what was on his mind because he wasn't sure what was going to come out of his mouth, Naruto quickly regained what he hoped was a friendly composure. "I'm okay, Sakura-chan. I'll, uh, go and make you some tea before you leave. That way you'll be able to keep warm when you're walking through the streets." Ignoring the fact that his last comment didn't make much sense while attempting to save face Naruto quickly walked into the kitchen like he'd originally planned before she could say anything. Grabbing his kettle off the stove, he walked over to the sink and turned the faucet on, began to fill it with water.

Stunned by his abrupt actions, Sakura quickly followed him into the kitchen. "Naruto, you don't need to make me any tea. I'm fine, really I am," she tried to protest; yet it did little to discourage Naruto. He continued to slowly pour water into the kettle as if his mind was fixated on the task at hand. Walking towards him slowly until she was standing behind him, Sakura placed a hand on his right shoulder in an attempt to deter him. "Naruto—"

Stiffening at her touch, Naruto abruptly dropped the kettle into the sink. He made no attempt to pick it up but rather braced his hands against the edge of the countertop, the flow of water plummeting steadily against the silver, half-spherical appliance, mumbled words of, "Can't do this…I can't do this." Sakura immediately pulled her hand away from him, reflexively took two steps backwards away from him. Lessons of enemy psychology immediately touched her brain for some unknown reason but she willed the necessary precautions and appropriate countermeasures aside and instead tried to read his body language which didn't exactly invoke a sense of confidence in her eyes. She had a real icky feeling that whatever it was that he was going to do, going to say…it was something that she wasn't going to like.

And she was right. Lifting his hand and turning off the faucet, Naruto slid the kettle off to the edge of the sink, turned—almost dramatically—and looked at her, his gaze immediately affixed with a familiarity of cold steel. Upon seeing it, Sakura immediately backpedaled another step. She hadn't seen a look like that since he had lectured her after trying to step in between him and Sasuke during their testosterone-driven battle on the hospital rooftop. It instantly sent a terrifyingly sharp shiver down the back of her spine, not the bad memories, but the fact that he was skewering her with _that_ look again. Swallowing the gulp that had been rising in her throat like lava from a volcano, she both hesitantly and meekly said, "Naruto?"

His gaze firm and piercing, Naruto's voice immediately took on an authoritative edge, almost as if he'd abandoned ship on trying to keep an air of pretense and was instead going for a bare bones approach. "Sakura-chan, why are you here?"

Sakura's heart almost instantly skipped two beats. The way he phrased that…it was like the person she was talking to _wasn't _the person she was talking to. His tone completely lacked the warm, bumbling personality that she had grown accustomed to, even started to like—but this harsh edge…it wasn't him, not by a long shot. It was almost the same as when he'd tried to sleep on the couch and he hadn't let her, even though the circumstances had been different. "I…I already told you why," she stuttered. "I came here because I wanted to bring you those pastries as…well, as an apology for inconveniencing you like I did. And my pen…I wasn't sure if I left it here or not, so I thought—

"—That you would come by to see if it was here or not," Naruto cut in, finishing the explanation for her, allowing himself to submit to the strong feeling of empowerment that washed over him. "I know all that already, and it makes good sense and all, but, seriously, why are you here? I mean you didn't just come here because of some silly pen, did you?"

Obviously seeing that Naruto was riding on a steadfast path of blunt measures, Sakura met Naruto's sharp gaze with one of her own. "No, that's not the only reason. I also came here because I wanted to check up on you. I wanted to see how you were feeling after the bad dream that you had. Do you remember that?"

Naruto nodded curtly. "Of course I do. You woke me up and gave me a glass of water. I remember all that. My memory's not all that crappy, Sakura-chan.

Sakura folded her arms, the trepidation steadily evaporating. "I never said it was," she replied coolly. "I just asked if you remembered _that_ particular event. You were in such an absolute mess after that whole episode that I wasn't sure if you did or not. It's easy to out block things like that when your mind is in a panic. "

"Well it's not," he said, pushing firmly in trying to put a seal on the whole question. "I woke up from a scare, you helped me get through it, and I slept the rest of the night away without a problem. And right now I feel fine; perfectly fine." He must have seen some form of doubt on her face because he added, "Really, I am."

Sakura kept her face totally neutral. She was smart enough to know that he was trying to sucker her into the fabrication by taking on a stringent approach—or maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was under the _assumption _that he was telling the truth, but she'd seen enough to know first hand that that wasn't so. Like she'd said: the mind sometimes has the capability to block certain events out. It was possible that he might not have remembered what he was dreaming about when she'd been trying to calm him down, but her own personal experiences had taught her that the bad dreams were easier for the mind to grasp and take hold of then the good ones. Why that was, she couldn't say she knew, and maybe it wasn't totally right to act on something that wasn't concrete, but there wasn't much she could do now except push forward. This part he wasn't going to like hearing. "I don't think you are, Naruto."

Naruto genuinely frowned at her. "What makes you say that?"

"Because you seem very perturbed right now for no real reason," she swiftly replied, abandoning the art of sugarcoating and instead striving for straight out honesty. "I told you last night that I was going to take you out for dinner and you didn't seem too enthusiastic about it." She held her hand up before he could say anything. "Now, I know you were tired. I understand that—I was too. But when I brought it up to you here just a few minutes ago, you completely acted like you didn't want to go. And sick or not, turning down a fresh bowel of ramen with all of the toppings just isn't your style. You also can't tell me that you're trying to cut down on the stuff either. I cleared away enough of your empty noodle cups to know that it isn't so." She wasn't being humorous but was rather stating a point. "And I also thought, considering you've been asking me the last several times now, that you'd be happy to go on a date with me."

Even though the collar of his shirt wasn't itching him, Naruto rubbed the back of his neck in discomfort. "Call me crazy, Sakura-chan, but you didn't seem all that happy the _last_ time we went on a date," he stiffly reminded her. "What makes you think that this time would be any different?" Naruto then shook his head as if he wanted to bring a cease and desist on the whole idea. "Look," he said, voice softening as if he knew that he'd been in the wrong in the first place for bringing up her half-hearted enthusiasm on their previous outing. "I…appreciate that you want to take me out for dinner—I do, but today…today I just don't feel up to going out. I know it sounds strange but please don't argue with me about it." He looked at her hopefully. "Okay?"

Sakura didn't say anything, and for a second Naruto thought that she was bracing herself, gathering breath in her lungs for a full-out verbal assault; maybe even physical. Going off _her_ body language, that was hard to say. He could probably count on his right hand—fingers even—the number of times he'd had to be forceful with her. It was borderline taboo if anything to argue with her and, considering how temperamental she could get, was a pretty simple philosophy to follow. Maybe it was just from spending this much time with her that he could take a firmer approach instead of feeling obligated to being agreeable. Overall it was hard to say, especially since Sakura was still standing there in a state of muteness. The silence was tangibly uncomfortable and was almost begging for some sort of response from her. She couldn't see it from her standpoint but Naruto's palms were saturated.

"At least tell me why?" she finally asked softly, her tone clearly and copiously downtrodden. It didn't take a lot of smarts from Naruto to know that he'd hurt her feelings. What he _didn't_ have the smarts for was how to eloquently put into words a reply that would both satisfy her and allow him to exit this situation gracefully without causing further damage. He'd never been good with words, had never bothered with diplomacy; he'd always used his fists to do the talking, but the latter wasn't going to do him any good in this situation. Hands on what he considered her shapely hips, Sakura was clearly awaiting some sort of answer and Naruto—for the first time in his life—was utterly pressed in the uncompromising situation of being unable to provide her with one. "Well?" she pushed.

Gathering what he could for tact, Naruto rested his arms at his sides, squared his feet to control his ankles that threatened to shake and looked her square in those emerald colored eyes without blinking. Knowing that he was screwed on both sides of the tree, Naruto stuttered and simply replied with, "I…I can't say."

In both predictable and classic fashion Sakura's portrait shifted into a state of dubiousness, her previous hurt all but forgotten as she repeated his words: '"You can't say?"'

Feeling more miserable then uppity, Naruto shook his head. "No, I can't." "_Not without hurting you,_" he silently added in thought.

Sakura pursed her lips. "Why can't you say?" she pried in mixed tones of gentleness and firmness, trying very, _very_ hard to show some understanding in a situation that was hardly so.

"Because I can't. It's…it's a…guy thing," Naruto weakly added.

Abruptly abandoning all hopes of trying to be civil (the leash had already been short), Sakura tossed her arms up in the air and impatiently blurted out, "What the hell does that mean?!"

Repressing a groan, Naruto simply said, "It means what it means." He'd already known that that last answer wouldn't hold a drop of water but he didn't know what else to tell her…besides the truth. It was really an awful toss up: tell her something she didn't want to hear or tell her something she wasn't going to like hearing. Either way he was screwed. What he wouldn't give right now to have Ero-sennin suddenly show up and whisk him away for the training expedition. "I-I'll make you some—"

"I don't want any goddamn tea, Naruto!" she cut him off, angrily and curtly. "What I _want_ is for you to tell me why you're being uncommunicative like this. You're totally acting like a child right now and I want you to tell me why? I mean, I came all this way just to bring you that stuff," she pointed at the bag on the table, "and you hardly seemed to appreciate it. And then I tell you that I want to take you out for dinner, and you try to find these stupid excuses to get out of it!"

Naruto had to take a step backwards. Holy frigging crap! He'd seen her upset before but never like this, and this was simply no trick like before. No way was this a farce. This was utterly candid, completely and unadulterated. "Sakura-chan," he said, trying to find a way to somehow calm her down before she got pissed enough to start swinging, "please, I told you I'm—"

"Don't lie to me!" she said, again cutting him off with authority. "You weren't sick last night so there's no way you could suddenly come down with an illness now. No, that's not going to fly with me, mister!"

Naruto resisted the impulse to brush the growing beads of tickling moisture off his forehead. She was exercising some wicked crazy mood swings right now. Why was she so angry? He could understand her taking no for an answer, sure, but she was literally flying off the handle right now and it completely seemed out of proportion—even for her! "What do you want me to say, Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked her, suddenly feeling desperate. "What kind of an answer do you want me to give you?"

I want the truth, Naruto!" she answered. "You're completely beating around the bush and not being straight with me and I want to know why." Her nostrils flared. "At this point I think you owe me at least that!"

At this point Naruto could do nothing now except simply close his eyes in frustration, his closed fists pulsating to the drum of his beating hear. Oh _man_ was she driving him crazy. He knew he was screwed, completely cornered with no possible way out except to pull something drastic, but what? Tell her to just screw off and make a beeline for her first lesson already? Hell he was almost ready to do so just that; it's not like he had much of an option now. Trying to get on her good side now or flatter her was pointless too. The intensity of her anger, once unleashed, didn't just extinguish at the turn of a hat. Time was the only thing that would pacify her now, but he wasn't going to just stand around and wait for her to cool her heels (not that was possible anyways both time and reality wise) nor was he going to play the role of punching bag either, no matter how warranted it seemed.

"_I'm sorry, Oji-san, but I don't think I can be the bigger man like you hoped I would be. It's just like Ero-sennin said in the hospital about Sasuke. 'As shinobi, we must make sure that we have proper judgment and make good decisions. If you want to live as a shinobi you must be wise. If you're a fool, then it will be a world full of pain. That's reality.'_ "

Naruto slowly opened his eyes to both the present and the harsh truth of reality. His reply to Ero-sennin was that if giving up on Sasuke were what it took to be wise, then he would be happier living as a fool. But now the shoe was on the other foot and the luxury of that role…wasn't possible now. Sasuke—his best friend, and Sakura—his heart's desire; he realized now that the possibility of having both…was an impossibility. That was truth—that was reality. The purpose behind these repeating dreams…that had to be it. It was what he'd known all along. To have one, he'd have to give up on the other, and even as a fool, Naruto had to strongly believe that that was _truly_ what it meant to be the bigger man. Naruto swallowed a lump in his throat. Doing the right thing to keep a promise had never been so difficult as it was right now. "_Forgive me, Sakura-chan. I—_"

"I'm waiting," she said, abruptly interrupting his thought while tapping her foot on the floor for almost intentionally good measure.

It was at that moment that Naruto's stomach grew incredibly and abruptly queasy with discomfort. Suddenly desperate for some sort of solidity, Naruto backed up until he was leaning against the countertop, gingerly rubbed his mouth as to try and hide the fact that he was extremely close to tossing his cookies right now. Naruto was already starting to feel dizzy from stress, and the way she was tapping her foot against the floor wasn't physically helping him any. He immediately blamed both the goddamn soup he'd felt so pressed to eat at the time and Oji-san for his warning over the possibility of developing a serious case of food poisoning from eating dried food. Now he was paying big time for it, and until he got her out of here, there was nothing he could do about it except tolerate it to the best of his ability, meaning that he only had a few minutes at best before things really went to pot. "Well, Sakura-chan, the thing is that…I…well…I…I don't really want to be around you right now."

For a moment she didn't know what to say, her agitation quickly taking a backseat. His comment was so brutally unexpected that it didn't really register in her brain. The background noises—her heart beating, the tapping of her foot and the rain beating unsteadily against the roof—seemed to grow louder within her eardrums, almost to a point where it felt deafening. She forcibly pressed her foot down against the floor and mentally pictured that it was being pinned down with a heavy boulder just to curb that odd sensation. "You _don't _want to be around me?" Sakura asked him, making sure to put a very strong emphasis on the word 'don't' as if she was trying to convince herself that he really hadn't said that and that her mind was abruptly playing tricks on her for no reason.

Naruto nodded, looking both serious and uncomfortable. "That's right. I'm sorry, but you being here…isn't a good thing."

Sakura blinked and shook her head as if she were recovering from a hard blow to the temple, then abruptly issued him a stern frown; trying hard to match the uncharacteristic one he was giving her. "Naruto, if this is about what you said earlier I told you already that you're not sick or anything fast acting like that. You might be a little crabby because you were up late and I can understand that, really I can. You have all the right in the world to be mad about that…and I had a bit of a feeling that you might be. That's why I'd really like to take you out for dinner as a peace offering."

"This isn't about that," he said in a soft, strained voice. He could almost swear that his churning stomach was on the brink of a total meltdown.

The look on her attractive face deepened. "Isn't what? Are you talking about that whole 'guy thing' again?" She shook her head as if suddenly coming to terms with the machismo bit that followed guys around, along with their blockheaded tendencies; _especially _this one. "I know that I'm cheap and that it's customary for a boy to pay for outings when it comes to girls but I'm telling you that this time it's okay. You don't need to worry about that—"

"It's got nothing to do with that either," he said, firmly cutting her off, and forcing himself not to feel shocked at how cold his voice sounded. "All that stuff you're talking about—it's got nothing to do with the fact that you shouldn't be here."

Sakura's lips parted slightly in surprise. "What you're talking about…is this from before?" Her brow crinkled and she suddenly started to smile nervously. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you like I was, but you really weren't making any sense there. It was just getting on my nerves you see, and I think that it's just leftover crankiness on my part too." She rubbed the back of her head, felt that she on the verge of giggling. "I guess I should try to fit a nap in sometime today too—"

"Sakura-chan, stop."

Her uplifted hand instantly froze in mid movement. His tone…it held a distinct note of familiarity from a minute earlier, not so much rashness but more focused and directed. The verbal reflection _was _there but there was definitely something different involved here. She'd managed to keep her wits about her before by trying to wrangle with him but this chilling calmness now, it felt like she was standing in ice cubes. "S-stop what?" she asked him in a stutter.

His lips took on a firm edge as he answered her question. "Just…stop trying to be nice to me. This whole time—you've been talking to me and doing stuff for me like we've been best friends our whole lives' and…and I don't really appreciate it. "

Hearing Naruto's curt words of somewhat unbridled accusation, a bewilderment that was so encompassing in scope took hold of Sakura's mind and was literally rampaging across the surface like a lightning storm that zapped every last bit of intelligent understanding out of existence. She tried but was unsuccessful in stopping her mouth as it unconsciously opened in shock. "Na-Naruto, I don't…what are you…you—you're not making any sense," she babbled uncontrollably, utterly too caught up in her own confusion to give a damn that she was accomplishing just that.

"You've been pretending, Sakura-chan," Naruto continued in a soft vein, so soft that Sakura could barely hear it over the roar of her accelerating heartbeat. "You've been doing everything possible to try and put on an act of trying to like me when really all you are doing is trying to fool yourself. I might not be the smartest guy around, Sakura-chan, but even I'm not retarded enough to be fooled with something like that. Again I…I truly appreciate the fact that you were trying to do what you thought was right," his tone turning apologetically humble, "but I think that it's simply for the best if you just stopped this all together."

Her sudden perplexities over his abrupt candidness followed by his stream of contrite-filled words quickly had the tempo of her disposition swinging and alternating like a pendulum between the hands of confusion and stinging anger. She had to think that he understood that the line he was currently walking was about as thin and sharp as a slice of scrap paper. Considering his ignorance though… "A-and just what, prey tell, makes you think that I'm pretending, huh?" she asked him, managing to regain some of her composure as she tried to sort though his impudence. "You have a lot of nerve for saying something pretentious like that. I mean seriously; making a wild allegation like that is a really ignorant thing to do without some sort of theory to back it up." She blatantly hoped that her diverse words would confuse him enough to renege on the nonsense he'd just spouted. A straight jab to his nose wouldn't exactly hurt her feelings one bit either. "Now really, why would you say something like that?" Sakura demanded.

"Because you know I'm right," Naruto simply said without a need for preamble, dismissing the need to take a reflexive breath in spite of his stomach. "Face it, Sakura-chan: the only reason you showed up here last night and this morning is because your hurt that Sasuke isn't around here anymore. Missing him like you are now makes it easy for you to come someplace like this where you normally wouldn't or ask me to go to Ichiraku's on another 'pretend' date." He shook his head at the memory. "You can say whatever you want or act however you want about that but it was pretty easy to tell that being there, it was a strain on you. You really can't hide stuff like that from me."

Her breath catching in her throat, Sakura gave him the coldest look she could manage. The sheer audacity of this guy…was he really looking to hurt her feeling badly enough to invoke such a death wish upon his soul? Apparently so since Naruto didn't have the look of somebody who was joking around. "Oh, so now you want to try your hand as a pretend counselor who specializes in psychoanalysis now?" she testily retorted, not knowing or particularly caring if he understood what those words meant, his unwarranted objections clearly upsetting her.

Now the impulse to toss his arms up in the air in a clear gesture of irritation in response to her open tantrum was nearly irresistible to contain yet Naruto squelched the impulse like closing a book. After all he couldn't stand there and not say that her angry burst of words hadn't been warranted. He'd pretty much steered her in that direction with his lack of finesse and sugarcoating and thus deserved every bit of her stinging retort. Unfortunately he was really running out of patience with this whole discussion and wasn't in the mood to continue it. There didn't seem to be anything more to discuss anyways. He'd stated his piece/opinion to the best of his ability, knowing that she wouldn't like any of it and—surprise, surprise—she hadn't. The rebuttal from her seemed to be a foreshadowing of a pummeling to come. Well, he supposed she could do whatever she wished to make herself feel better—she'd been doing it all along anyways—but it wouldn't change the general linguistics of the situation. "You can be mad at me all you want, Sakura-chan, but the fact of the matter is that I know you're just using me to make yourself feel better about yourself." He bowed his head down slightly. "I can understand why you would be but the truth is—"

"_SMACK_"

Naruto never got a chance to finish his sentence as Sakura quickly bounded forward, as if previously restrained by an invisible cord, and slapped him right across the face, his head snapping to the left/his right. For such a lithe hand of feminine proportions, the sound was inconceivably brutal and harsh to his eardrums. Upon impact the struck side of his cheek immediately turned cold as if stung by a angry queen bee. For a moment Naruto didn't move, stunned into utter silence by the violent assault. She'd punched the lumps out of him enough times that he should have been used to her physicality yet this was utterly different then all those other occasions. On a whim was one thing; but to be struck like he had just been…yeah, that was really something else. Despite the numbness, her hand lingered on his face like a troublesome fly. Naruto thought that she was going to repeat the gesture just to add an exclamation mark to her demonstration but that didn't seem to be the case. Slowly turning to glance at Sakura, Naruto noted that she was quivering like a frightened child. It was almost as if she'd just realized that what she had done was wrong and was now going into all the formalities associated with her pretentious actions. Her cheeks twitched and there was a light smattering of tears dispersed along her tortured countenance. Regardless of her deplorable actions and his own turmoil, Naruto found it very difficult—found he couldn't get upset with her. He supposed that that was just a part of himself that he simply couldn't let go of. At least his stomach didn't ache as bad. "Sa-Sakura-chan?" he finally whispered, managing to find his voice.

Sakura's hand immediately left his face, grasped him hard by the shoulder instead. She was still trembling but her eyes were hard and clear. "You…you _really _have a lot of nerve, you know," she told him without fear of a backlash "Telling me how I should and shouldn't feel. What gives you the right to stand there and lecture me on something like that?" She shook her head as if to clear out her personal cobwebs. "Instead of trying to stir up facts about Sasuke-kun or how you _think_ I feel about anything or anyone, did it actually ever cross your stupid pea-sized brain that I wanted to try and do something nice for you _just _because you're you?"

Naruto didn't say anything, really didn't _dare to _issue a response at this point. Despite what she thought of him, Naruto was acutely aware that he was treading on so very thin ice right now. Death and destruction would inexorably come towards him if he so much as even uttered something of an outlandish nature, even twitched wrong. Her nail-sharp grip on his somber-colored sweatshirt was tight, so much so that he could feel prickles of pain blossoming on his bare shoulder like that of a fast-acting sunburn. Regardless of the needle-like sensations or his nightmarish trepidations that sheliterally _was _cradling his very life in her pristine hands, Naruto refused to back peddle away from her. He'd made this very uncomfortable bed for himself and now he was going to have to lie in it. If there was anything he'd learned this morning, it was to know when you had to take responsibility for your actions. That sure didn't make having her stare a hole through him any easier. "What do you want from me, Sakura-chan?" Naruto finally found himself asking her, almost in a plea.

Wiping the tears off of her face with her free hand, Sakura tilted her head up slightly. "I want you to answer one question for me," she swiftly told him, her grasp on his shoulder tightened seemingly with anticipation. "And don't you dare say no or else I'll hit you again. Got it?"

Even though he already had half a notion of what she was going to ask him Naruto willingly nodded acceptance. Didn't have much of a choice anyways. "Okay."

Sakura took half a step backwards, gazed at him sharply, her cool inhalations and hot exhalations blowing steadily across his face. "Did you have a nightmare after I left here?"

Naruto sighed openly. Friggin figured. "Yeah, I did," he replied, almost defiantly. "So what?"

"Was I in your dream?" she asked in a low tone.

Naruto gave her a look, felt like telling her that that was _two_ questions instead of one though _that _probably would have resulted in other blow. Instead he said, "What does that matter—?"

"It matters, Naruto!" she insisted, finding herself incredibly incredulous that he would try to play this off. "These dreams—you've been having them for a reason and I think it's best that you try and talk them out right now. You wouldn't be acting like this if there wasn't something going on with you upstairs." The door to her hypothesis widely exposed.

"_Why would you assume this has anything to do with dreams?_" he wanted to ask her, again feeling that rising need to try and reason with her even though he was well aware that part of her questioning was correct. That…and he'd been jealous. No sense in denying that. He'd known that for a long time now. Through all the battering and the sharp words, Naruto could never hide the fact that he loved her. Last night he told her, told her that it was strictly on a friend-to-friend level but it had always been more then that, more then teenage hormones or anything so simple. And that was why he'd sworn to give up on her, strictly because of his love for her. It couldn't be because of the dreams, could it? He didn't want to think so, yet how could he not?

Seconds continued to tick by as Naruto continued to stand in a silent vein; his mind currently conflicted with personal thoughts. It didn't matter; Sakura knew right then that she was on to something with her diatribe. "Why didn't you tell me?" she finally asked him.

Naruto's cheek tightened. "Because it's none of your business. What goes on in my head at night is not your concern. You have no right to stand there and make assumptions." Reaching up, Naruto pried her hand away from his shoulder and took two firm steps backwards so that she couldn't grab him again. "Whatever's going on with me is something that I have to deal with on my own," he told her, the words spilling out of his mouth like hot vapor. "Just like whatever's going on with you. You need to deal with your problems on your own. I can't help you with it. I'm sorry." Naruto immediately turned downcast, practically expecting her to explode in another tantrum. Hell, she'd probably beat the crap out of him again for being so obtuse. Whatever. It wasn't like it was anything new. He was used to it. He didn't care.

"In your dreams…I hurt you badly, didn't I?" she finally asked, her voice mellow and apologetic. "That's why you don't want to be around me right now, isn't it?" Both questions seemed so rhetorical right now. She knew the answers yet amidst all of the knowledge, the training and the discipline, a childlike part of her needed to hear the answers anyways.

Feeling his lip droop, Naruto quickly mumbled. "It's late, Sakura-chan. You need to go and meet Tsunade-baa-chan now. She's not the sort of person you want to keep waiting. Not if you're hoping to be her student."

Sakura swallowed a lump in her throat, feeling discouraged. Having been here for such a length of time, she'd almost forgotten about her appointment with the Hokage. It seemed almost conveniently appropriate that he would now remind her of that. Maybe that was for the best in the long run. He was obviously upset with her for personal reasons and she simply didn't know what to tell him that would pacify his confused sentiments. She felt an almost desperate need to try and assure him that she would never deliberately harm him as badly as she seemingly had in the privacy of his nightmarish dreams yet she could tell from just looking at him that such words would be a waste of time. It was disturbingly clear that her presence here seemed utterly portentous to him; enough so that he was telling—not suggesting—but telling her to leave. She had to think that he was in this state of mind before she'd slapped him for his scathing bluntness but that was cold comfort to her right now.

Had it always been like this with him, she wondered? How many times had he come back to this place after a day of missions in a state of total dejection after being lambasted verbally or physically or both by her? How many times had she unknowingly entered his dreams to harm him in some way or fashion? She knew full well that she couldn't necessarily blame herself for all of that but she also couldn't help but think that way at this point. Sasuke had once told her that she disgusted him after she'd gone into a spiel over Naruto's handicaps and mannerisms, and while the revelation had both humbled and humanized her, Sakura had never completely understood the purpose of Sasuke's scathing words until today. The blunt words that now fell from Naruto's lips in regards to Sasuke-kun…they'd been spot on. The only thing that her actions and sharp words had done was to further contribute in driving Naruto's point even further. From her end it was a mark of feverish denial, and he was astute enough to realize that while she was simply floundering about like a stupid fish trying to swim on land.

"_This…this wasn't supposed to happen!_" she mentally shrieked, wretched desperation and anguish intermingling to create an echelon of misery that overshadowed her previous sentiments. "_Everything was supposed to go right today! You were supposed to just come along with me and not ask any questions about it, you bastard! Can't you see how badly I need you to help me get over Sasuke-kun now! Can't you see how much I'm hurting right now? Can't you see how badly I need you to be with me right now? How dare you abandon me when I need you the most! How DARE you choose this day of all days to not want to be with me! Damn you, Naruto! DAMN YOU!"_

Her mind was a raging mistress of a maelstrom right now. She was to the drastic point now where she wanted to either knock his lights right out period or else do something like...like blindly grabbing him by the scruff of his shirt and forcing him into a desperate lip-lock that she nearly preformed before in a last ditch attempt to _make_ him try to see things her way, yet neither option provided any form of longstanding logic; plus it could very well make the situation even worse then it already was. The simplicity of the situation was that she could _not_ convince him. It was akin to trying to open a door with the wrong key. His defenses' were far too high right now to invoke any sort of answers from and she simply couldn't calm herself down enough to try and negotiate with him. It was a total impasse.

Precious seconds slipped away like leaves in the breeze. She needed to leave yet she couldn't bear to leave things as they were now. Not without at least trying to successfully insert a piece into the complex puzzle that was standing in front of her like a sullen statue. "I'm…I'm sorry I slapped you like I did, Naruto," she whispered remorsefully. "I really am sorry. I just…all I wanted to do was to get you to open up to me. I…Is there anything I can do or possibly say to make up for anything I've done to you? Anything at all?" She wasn't talking about hours now—nothing so paltry at this point, but rather spoke in terms of both months and years, for all the times she'd deliberately and inadvertently harmed him. For him, grasping that universal point was inconsequential, yet it meant everything for her.

The statue that was Naruto shook his head, a slow sway of his own body mechanics and structure, rock solid in his own testaments and disposition. "There's nothing, Sakura-chan. Nothing at all. Again, I understand why you did what you did—you don't need to explain yourself there. I just…I can't hold your hand with this right now. I am sorry, but you need to just go now." The pulsating pain in his stomach seemed to lend him strength right now, enough so that he was able to turn away from her completely. Hands on the edge of the counter, Naruto bowed his head slightly and stared down at the gray sink; filling both his mind and vision with it's neutrality, almost as if trying to become one with the inanimate object. "Please," he mumbled, uncaring if she heard him or not.

Sakura stared dejectedly at his back, the last lingering embers of her flagging hope finally doused by Naruto's closing word and gesture. So this was it then? He was dismissing her. Didn't seem like a surprise really. She'd done it to him enough times. Why not have the tables turned for a change? A sob threatened to rise from her throat yet she somehow managed to choke it off. A minute or two and she'd be outside where she could act however she needed to act, break down or do whatever. It all needed to be out of her system regardless before meeting the Hokage. "Y-yes, you're right," she replied, seemingly both to him and the idea as well. Leaving Ino's this morning, Sakura had been so confident in thinking, scratch that, _knowing_ that she was doing the right thing yet Ino had shakily warned her about retaining an air of honesty during this visit. Had she known something that Sakura hadn't? Ino's ability to read people via street smarts almost seemed to say yes. It didn't seem to matter now anyways. All she knew was that she'd somehow screwed things up for herself to such a degree that she couldn't make it right again, no matter how intelligent she was.

The most despondent thing was that she had nobody to blame but herself for this. You can only treat people like garbage for so long before their ability to tolerate becomes strained to the point where they needed to push back. How could she assume that Naruto would be any different? She'd started to change her habits but it seemed that she was already too late and now she was paying for it. That was the most difficult pill to swallow, even harder then not being able to prevent Sasuke-kun from leaving. Lifting her hand slightly, Sakura started to take a step in his direction, an abrupt desire to suddenly touch him giving way but then she quickly stopped, flung the impulse away and stood there again, felt the cylinder shape of her recently found pen gently pressed against the side of her leg. She couldn't help him, couldn't do anything for him. Hell, she couldn't even help herself. Squaring her lips, Sakura turned and shakily started to walk out of the kitchen, the ache in her heart growing steadily as both her heel and toes pressed and worked in synchronization against the hardwood floor. Never in her life had it been so difficult to try and leave a building under her own power. It hurt so much that she stopped after a half dozen steps, halfway in between the kitchen and hallway. Closing her eyes as he might have been doing now, she uttered in finality, "They become so meaningless, don't they?"

Naruto turned his head slightly, his right ear facing her, frowned at the dials on his stove in light confusion. "What becomes so meaningless?" he asked.

Sakura swallowed hard, worked hard to keep her voice firm. "Apologies. The more times you use them on somebody, the less meaningful they become over time. It's…it's just something I realized now. Even so, please forgive me for this last intrusion."

Naruto spun around fully, began to ask her why she was telling him this but she was already out of the kitchen. His ears picked up on a quick rustle of clothing followed by the clacking sound of her sandals. Naruto started to take a few steps forward but could already hear her opening the door. The sounds of the open wet world instantly filtered into the apartment, briefly filling the apartment with a mixed familiar abundance of life and the outdoors. The fresh air touched his nose and Naruto suddenly realized just how long he'd been cooped up in this place, how dry the air had been. He took another two steps when the door suddenly shut, the cool breeze retracting like a knife in its sheathe. Her footsteps rapidly taking her away from her; quieting with each new step taken until he could no longer hear her.

The place was once again silent, once again his.

And she was gone yet again.

For a moment Naruto didn't move, unsure of what to do or what to say. He supposed he could say anything he wanted now. Nobody was here to listen to him. Oji-san was long gone, probably inside eating Oba-san's freshly prepared food or else standing outside having _yet_ another cigarette. If the latter were the case, he'd no doubt see Sakura running by to make what she was probably hoping her first lesson. Naruto had no doubt that he'd try to have a brief word with her before she left. And if _that _was the case, Oji-san was probably going to come back here and give him supreme shit for something he did or didn't do. He briefly resigned himself, felt almost sure that he'd hear the old man trudging up the walkway any second now. He gave it two minutes, another minute, relaxed somewhat after three minutes had passed. He really didn't need him coming over here again for yet another lecture of some kind. Naruto wouldn't have known what to tell him anyways. Sakura-chan, on the other hand…

His stomach wretched upon thinking of her. Swiftly moving out of the kitchen and into the bathroom, Naruto immediately went to the sink and began to thoroughly splash cold water on his face, alternating between dousing his cheeks and taking long gulps to soothe his suddenly parched throat and hopefully aid his upset stomach. He did this repeatedly until he felt somewhat pacified on both ends. Turning the faucet off, Naruto blinked between a mixture of water and his own sweat, looked at his reflection, swore that he'd somehow looked even worse then before if that was possible. Bags were starting to form underneath his eyes and he could almost swear that he looked twice his age, minus the facial hair though that would probably come naturally in six or seven years. He grabbed the nearest towel, still damp from his earlier shower and quickly dried his face and tossed it aside. He walked to the living room but instead of going to the couch, he shoved his hands in his pockets, leaned his back against the threshold and slowly slid to the floor, grunting lightly at the mild impact of his ass hitting the wooden floor. Draping his left arm over his risen knee, Naruto sighed roughly and began to contemplate what he could have possibly said that would have improved his conversation with Sakura-chan.

Unfortunately he couldn't think of anything that might have benefited him or that would have been of any use, though it might have helped if he hadn't totally lost his cool to begin with. That part had been his fault, straight up. The reasoning behind his actions was childish but he'd been convinced—still felt partially convinced—that she was only doing it out of reasons that only benefited herself and not for him directly. He couldn't let that reasoning go for whatever intents and purposes. Naruto simply refused to believe that she would simply change gears like that in such a short span of time. How could he? The circumstances didn't matter either. It just didn't fit. He'd always considered himself a fairly good judge of character when it came to people and something just wasn't jiving here.

The other factor was that those goddamned dreams he'd been having really were clouding his judgment badly. Jealousy factor aside, he hadn't wanted Sakura-chan around right now because he'd been trying to work out the reasoning behind _why _he'd been having them in the first place. Nothing happened without a reason and there was _definitely_ a reason behind these events. He just needed to figure out what it was. That was the key to everything. A part of him knew this to be true. It had to be. But what was it though?

Gritting his teeth, Naruto forced himself to recall the terrible visions that he'd tried so hard to bury in his self-consciousness so that they wouldn't plague him at untimely moments. Nightmares tended to be more easily recalled then pleasant dreams, simply because the former tended to leave a longer lasting impression then the latter. He wasn't sure if that was the same for everyone yet it certainly seemed that way for him. Naruto would have to play it like that. Calling those ghastly images back to light, Naruto recalled with grim clarity just how badly he'd suffered in those scenarios. Being squished to death by a massive snake, crushed by Gaara's deadly form, being killed by Sasuke while being forced to watch as Sakura walked away with him and finally her unpreventable death at the hands of some unknown assailant. All of this had some wayward pattern to it but what? He hadn't been able to prevent any of those scenarios from happening so what was the point to all of it. Hell, it'd been all his faut in the first place. What was the reasoning—?

And then, it suddenly hit him; some tiny point that had slipped his mind rampantly fell into place and created an abrupt moment of real clarity like a burst of boiling water. The dreams had nothing to do with anybody else. They had nothing to do with Sasuke or Sakura-chan or anybody period for that matter. It wasn't them at all.

It was himself…and his failure.

And at that moment, through all the impatience, the drama, battling with both himself and Sakura-chan, an overpowering wave of relief and insight touched and warmed him like finally standing in bright harsh sunlight after weaving and battling through a wave of cold shadows and darkened misery. The revelations pulsated through him, pressed him neatly against the very wall that he was leaning against, shocking him to the very depths of his soul. Somehow he'd known it all along and yet…he hadn't. Not until this very instance when he'd been forced to actually dwell on the matter without trying to bury the hurtful images deep down inside of his very being.

Yes, it was his failure. That's what the mocking voice in that last dream was referring to. His inability to retrieve Sasuke from falling into the greedy hands of Orochimaru had somehow penetrated deep in his psyche, pressed down on some small part of his minuscule brain strongly enough to invoke these…these projections. That's what it was. He'd been keeping the denial buried deep this entire time, had buried and covered it with easy excuses and jealous truths' to keep it from rising and dismantling his ego or some vital aspect of his character. As if relieved at this acknowledgment, Naruto's stomach began to relax and settle while seconds ago he was completely certain that he was going to ruin a good pair of underwear. It almost felt like a trick of the body yet it was hard to denounce the strange relief that he was feeling now—the after effects of a mental bowel movement? That seemed to describe it best. It was as if Oji-san and Sakura-chan's visits here had overloaded his system to the point where something essential had to give way before he could view this in the proper perspective. Taking a deep breath, Naruto stood up from the floor, wiped the perspiration that had been growing on his palms off on his pants. Taking that as a sign that the place was getting too muggy for his taste, Naruto started to walk to the door, feeling a need to get another bite of that fresh air when he stopped, frowned slightly as a long and narrow object leaning against the wall abruptly caught his eye. It took only two seconds of mental searching before quickly realizing that it was Sakura-chan's umbrella and another dimwitted moment to realize that she'd forgotten to take it with her. The first thing that came to mind was to open the door, look outside and see if she was still in sight so that he could tell her that she'd forgotten her umbrella yet that didn't seem like a very smart thing to do, especially after he'd practically just told her to get lost.

Naruto bit the bottom of his lip, felt the back of his neck itch uncomfortably from his misdeed. Nightmare crap aside, he'd definitely gone and pigeonholed himself. He couldn't bear to think that it was total stupidity on his part but the fact that she'd left here without taking her umbrella made him think that he'd upset her very much, especially after she'd gone and slapped him like she had. The fact that he'd seen tears on her face didn't help his case any either. He wanted to think that she was going through something else besides wishing that Sasuke wasn't gone but he doubted he'd ever know. Naruto supposed that that was something she'd have to deal with as well. He hoped that she'd feel better soon. He hoped.

"And she's tough," Naruto muttered to himself, trying to draw strength from that firm analogy. If anything, she was probably one of the toughest people he had ever known. Anyone that could still love someone like Sasuke after all the stuff he'd pulled definitely deserved that title. He'd always thought so though he tended to keep that tidbit quiet for the most part. Blurting something like that would probably get his ass kicked. It still wouldn't change the fact that he thought she was tough. She _was _tough. Being out in the rain wouldn't make her melt.

Well she was gone and there wasn't anything he could do about that. What he _could _do now was take her advice and do some housecleaning like he'd already stated that he was going to do. Keeping his body and mind set on doing minuscule tasks would keep him from dwelling on things. Feeling an uncharacteristic need to do some cleaning, Naruto put the umbrella down, walked over to the table that Sakura-chan had been working on and began to sort out papers that she had left untouched for him to look at. Most of it was basically just crap and crap and more crap, yet she had been nice enough not to toss what she'd probably herself had considered garbage away. It looked like she'd already junked quite a bit of it away. Looking around, Sakura had also tossed out most of the ramen cups and other food wrappers away as well. It seemed strange that she'd try to clean this place up when she really didn't have to do any of this. He'd already commented on that as well but the fact that she had, along with doing all the other stuff that she had was really unnecessary on her part, yet she had, and all he'd managed to do was upset her and make her cry—

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks, the smooth underlay of wood rubbing painfully into his heels at the abrupt halt of movement yet the blemish of pain didn't register. Something far more encompassing, a slow and creeping feeling, began to settle over him like a rock being pushed in front of a cave entrance in a patient movement to block out the sun. Naruto unconsciously grabbed his stomach as if expecting it would start to act up again in aggressive trembles but it wasn't that—not his stomach. No. Something else—a strange sinking feeling that he'd never felt before—

It was at that moment when he noticed that he was starting to have trouble breathing. Feeling panic settling in, Naruto began to walk back and forth the living room while taking long deep breaths in an attempt to shake whatever was going on with him. The harder it became for him to suck in air, the faster he moved. It was as if death itself was going to spring up on, take him by the shoulder at any given moment. Sweat ran down his brow like a valve had been twisted opened. He was hyperventilating, starting to do so profusely now, and felt like he was going to vomit, felt all the more certain that he was going to die for real this time. His head spun like a tornado. Dying—!

Naruto's legs gave way and he fell to the ground in a heap, nausea quickly enveloped him like a rampaging disease, the back of his mouth watered in an uncomfortable state. Naruto bowed his head, felt his stomach tighten immediately. Immediately squeezing his eyes shut in grim acknowledgment of what was to come, he began to throw up. Tears and sweat ran down his face in a pour as he continued to spew bile in violent, seemingly endless spasms. After a minute or so, when he was certain that he wasn't going to hurl anymore, Naruto slowly pushed himself away so that he was a good enough distance away from the mess he'd just made even though he could feel some of it lingering on the back of his hands, backed away even further for good measure and began to dry his soaked face using the sleeves of his sweatshirt. The vile tainted taste of ramen mixed with toothpaste created a sweet, sickly taste in his mouth. That alone made him almost feel certain that he would toss his cookies again but his stomach gave no threat or indication and it seemed that the worst was over. Instead he sat there on the floor, gasping and coughing as he sought recovery from this latest fit. It was as if his body was dead-set on punishing him for the false provisions he'd been trying to shield himself with. He'd tried to convince himself that Sakura-chan leaving was for the best, had refused to let the grim weight of reality take hold of him but now it had and he couldn't shake it. Not now. Naruto had done something that he had never thought could be possible.

He'd hurt her.

He'd made her cry.

And it had been his fault.

Naruto abruptly felt his hands shake, looked down and visually _saw _them shake. _He _was shaking. Sakura-chan…she really hadn't come here to make herself feel better this time. She'd come here to make _him _feel better. She'd known that she had to keep her appointment with Tsunade-baa-chan yet she'd still managed to make time to come here and check up on him, even in this heavy deluge of rain. She'd come here to make amends for her actions and all he'd done was push her away just as Sasuke had done. Naruto was no different then him. If anything he was even worse because he'd thrown her feelings for Sasuke back in her face just when she might have been finding a safe plateau to distance herself from the matter. Naruto had thought of Sasuke as being a straight up prick for hurting Sakura, but at least it had been inadvertently and not completely deliberate like Naruto had just done. He was the bastard here, not Sasuke. He'd hurt her deliberately and that made him more of a monster then any tailed-beast animal could possibly do.

Abruptly grabbing the side of the coffee table, Naruto's animalistic rage wrestled briefly with common sense, tried to nourish him with the idea that throwing the damned thing through the wall would make him feel so much better. Hell, even punching a few holes through the plaster would work wonders. His mind was in a haze of absolute anger; chakra blazed off his very being in a mixture of red and blue, almost as if in a dare. The need to cause damage to something was for the moment irresistible. The pain in his throat almost seemed to add fuel to the fire. Nails turning into claws, Naruto began to lift it in the air as if it were weightless—

And as if regaining control of his senses, Naruto dropped the table, instead grabbed the remaining clutter of junk atop and threw the pile in the direction of the kitchen. Dropping to his knees, Naruto hammered the hardwood floor with both of fists and yelled a few choice obscenities for good measure before clenching his fists in seething tight balls. He desperately yearned for destruction right now but the knowledge of knowing how problematic for him in the long run placed a sheathe on those desires. Slowly his nails reverted back to normal and the borrowed demon chakra slowly subsided, leaving him with the unwavering truth that he had done wrong.

"I hurt her…I hurt Sakura-chan," Naruto whispered in a quivering harsh tone. "How…how could I do something like that to her? How could I possibly do something like that to her of all people?" He knew, but that didn't stop him from questioning himself. The fact that he'd made excuses, had tried to convince himself that he wasn't a failure by blaming the people around him; it had cost him in the end, had led him up to where he was know. He was truly a failure now, a third-rate stupid ninja that could do nothing except screw anything and everything up. Everybody else though of him as one—seemed to be no sense in fighting it. Oji-san had tried to convince him that the Fourth hadn't sealed him with the demon fox just to be a shameless asshole but it was hard to think otherwise right now. Didn't seem to matter anymore anyways. He was alone now and would always be alone, utterly and truly. Maybe that was the price he had to pay for his very existence. Acknowledging that now…it didn't hurt as badly as he thought it would. All he'd had to pay was losing his best friend and the girl he'd loved. It could have been worse.

The only question was that he didn't know how it could possibly be any worse then what it was now.

His eyes began to burn in pity and his Adam's apple started to bob but he refused to give in to the tears that threatened to fall. Crying wouldn't help his case any now; it had never helped before. Instead he stood up and began to look for something to clean up the puke. He found a dirty towel by the side of the couch and was starting to mop up the mess when he suddenly noticed that Sakura's forgotten umbrella, which he'd left by the door, had fallen over. No doubt from when he'd dropped the coffee table. The vibration had probably done it. Cleaning up the mess, Naruto picked up the old towel, placed it in a pail and stuck it outside where it could air out. Upon opening the door, Naruto quickly deduced that was raining even harder now then it had been a few moments when he looked outside, scowled viciously at the blustery sight. "Hope you're happy with yourself, Naruto, you stupid dick. This is your fault!" he chastised himself sharply. "She'll be soaking wet by the time she gets to the Hokage's tower." The urge to run out there and catch up with her so as to give her back her umbrella quickly beckoned the white knight within him, yet he couldn't see her being all that grateful for it. If anything she'd probably start to curse him up and down like she used to before they became teammates, especially now since they wouldn't be in his apartment anymore. Out there she could pretty much say anything she wanted without disclosure, and it would all be fully warranted of course; he knew he deserved it. Running into the lion's cave to feed the lion wasn't what he considered motivational, but he couldn't just stand here and twiddle his thumbs like a 'tard when he knew she was probably getting soaked because of his actions. Consequences or not, Naruto knew what he had to do, but it still terrified him to know that she possibly hated him even more now and that he would have to meet that hatred head-on. Perhaps even more so then that of which he was now feeling for himself...

It was at that sudden moment that Oji-san's words, or rather what Oji-san's teacher had bestowed upon him, filled his mind: '_Think about yer anxieties in terms of a shadow. People that walk this world have their own individual shadow. Worryin' about what another person thinks of you is the same as worryin' about the shadow they're projecting, which is complete foolishness. If ya live yer life with no excuses, you'll never have ta worry about havin' regrets.'_

Naruto took those words like a sudden burst of tonic. Oji-san had taken the time out of his schedule to try and teach him that being the bigger man was the most important thing to do in times when situations weren't favorable. It was knowing that doing the right thing took precedence over times likes these where he knew he was probably going to get his lights punched out. She could hate him all she wanted sure, but if he could somehow protect her in the midst of it all, maybe…maybe that would somehow make everything right in some way. He'd already screwed up big time—Naruto knew this—but maybe if he could do just this one insignificant deed to try and make up for one of the many series of foul ups he'd already performed, maybe he wouldn't have to feel miserable forever.

He honestly didn't know…but he wouldn't stand here and rack his brain over it any longer either. Finding his wallet and house key and slipping on his sandals, Naruto grabbed the umbrella, closed and locked the door before speeding off down the sweltering walkway, sprays of water flying everywhere. He made it down the steps and was just about to head down to the ground level when he spotted his landlord standing in front of his room, predictably holding a stale cigarette and flicking away ash. Hair already drenched from the rain, Naruto quickly ran up to him and blurted, "Oji-san! Sakura-chan, did you see—?"

Water dripping off his hat, the old man pointed with one bruised finger. "Took off that way, towards the Hokage's tower I'm guessin', kid. She was runnin' pretty fast, faster then what she was before. I was gonna say hi ta her but she looked upset, didn't even have her umbrella with her" He gave Naruto a critical once-over; looked down at the umbrella Naruto was holding, frowned slightly. "Ya went and done somethin' stupid, didn't ya?"

Naruto stammered. "I…I did, but it wasn't my fault—I mean it was, but, yeah, I did something stupid, but I'm gonna make up for it right now and—"

The landlord waved his hand in front of his nose. "Holy shit, kid! What the hell did ya eat? Yer breath smells like a fish waltzed in and went belly up." He reached into his pocket and pull out a tin of strong mints, offered him one. "Take one o' these before ya go anywhere's. Put it under yer tongue and don't choke."

Naruto promptly took one, gasped at the abruptness that his nose hairs were on fire. "Th-thanks," he gulped.

The old man shrugged off the comment. "Don't worry about it. Do ya need a quick sip o' tap water as well?" he asked.

"No," Naruto quickly replied. "No, I just—I gotta go. Sakura-chan left without taking her umbrella and I gotta catch up to her. You're sure she went towards the tower?"

"I'm sure. Now get goin'. And—" putting the cigarette between his lips, he reached forward, took the umbrella from him and nimbly locked it open, returned it to him, "—this thing works a lot better when it's in bloom," the old man chided. "Now, go and make whatever dumb thing ya done right. Ya hear?"

Naruto looked up at the now exposed umbrella, swallowed a lump in his throat. "Yeah, I hear."

"Well move, kid! Hell ya waitin' fer? Permission? Haul ass already!" He slapped him firmly on the shoulder, and Naruto instantly turned and stumbled away, resuming his present course of action. Like Sakura-san, Oji-san watched as Naruto ran down the steps, down the short path, turned to round the corner and then finally disappearing. Taking a long drag from his cigarette and exhaling slowly, the old man couldn't help but smile as he recalled the day Sarutobi had brought Naruto to him when he'd just been a toddler. From that time until now, the boy had brought nothing but a long stream of good memories and pleasantries. To watch the kid now running after someone that resembled Kushina so closely from beauty to brains and personality, it made his heart swell to know he'd played a miniscule part in helping her son out.

"There ain't but two desires in life," he muttered, recalling an old but very true saying as it crossed his mind. "One is not ta get yer heart's desire. The other—," he paused, glanced back behind him where his wife was still cooking up a list of goodies. She nagged him furiously and sometimes she had all the mannerisms of a farm hand, yet her gentle touch and the way she moved about without complaining of her aches and pains; it made him thank God everyday for allowing him to be with her.

Well,_ almost _everyday.

Stamping out his cigarette that he'd taken from his fresh pack, Oji-san nodded at the path the two young teens were both set on, chuckled softly. "The other is to get it," he finished. Taking off his well-worn hat and turning it sideways, exposing his matted gray scalp, he walked back into his own apartment and closed the door, leaving the world and the people, both young and old, to their own devices, especially _those _two.

"_Make things right, kid._"

**To be continued…**

**Author's Note: **It's been so long since I've gotten a chance to write one of these notes. I almost like to consider these as a reward to myself for taking so much time to write out and edit these chapters. Maybe not such much the previous times, but this one in particular I can honestly say I feel warranted as a reward to myself. That might seem a little confusing to some people but that's really how I feel right now. The chance to write something more in free flow instead of purposeful? Sure, I'll go with that.

Where to begin? Well, I went through a point in time where I stopped writing for quite a while: a good year and half or so. Basically life got in the way, as it does at times, and it reached a point where I had a hard time opening my laptop and getting on with this thing. I lost my focus and I had a hard time getting back on track. It was until last winter where I really started to write again, a paragraph or two at times mostly; sometimes more, often times less. I know I've stated this in a few of the other chapters already but this was _easily_ the most difficult chapter I've ever written for a story as I knew it would be when I first started writing it a few years ago. To try and bring two already insecure characters into a complicated conflict based on their hopes and fears that actually made sense (to me, anyways)…yeah, it was really hard. Even after looking over this thing a bunch of times and making corrections and edits, I honestly can't say for sure that I totally succeeded word for word but I am fairly happy with the way it came out for the most part. I know that I've probably repeated some phrases or sentences as well but I guess I can chalk that up to amateurish authoring. I honestly wish that I had the talent that some people exude when it comes to writing but I'm just don't have it. Otherwise I would have had this whole thing finished a long time ago. There have been many times where my own inner voice would say, "Soo...just how long were you going to leave Sakura in the rain?" *shakes my head* Ugh.

I also know that some people, upon reading this particular chapter, are going to say, "Well that doesn't make sense," or, "That's out of character for them," but I've spent a _great_ deal of time on this as well and I can honestly say that the character portrayals, in my defense, are about as true to character as I can possibly make them, given their circumstances and what not. When it comes down to it, people—no matter their profession or how young or old they are—are still people. That was another challenge as well: trying to keep Naruto and Sakura within their adolescence as both ninjas and young teens without trying to push them beyond that scope. That too is something I can't say for certain that I completely succeeded in but from an author's perspective, I'm generally pleased with the whole thing. I'm very aware that readers who are big time N/S shippers in hindsight are not going to like this chapter for both obvious and not so obvious reasons, but all I can say in regards to that is that life universally can be very harsh and unfair at times and does not always go the way we want it too, no matter how much hard work or dedication we put into things or people (I know this very well). I believe that while we all can't necessary reach the top of the mountain, we can certainly find a comfortable plateau where we can look at things in perspective and take solace in our accomplishments. I haven't yet reached that with this story and neither have Mr. Naruto or Ms. Sakura but I hope to accomplish this with the next few chapters. Anyways, I just wanted to express a quick thanks to the reviews and the e-mails (**Marquis Les'Quack**, **hotwyr**, **DanddoSeri**, **Naruto yamanaka**, **Mad Library Scientist**) regarding their kind comments or else regards to chapter status—my apologies for taking so long to update. I also want to say thanks to the very few real-life friends I've kept in the loop about this and who encouraged me to keep writing. You have my sincerest gratitude. It hasn't always been easy—downright difficult eighty percent of the time—but I can still say without doubt that I've really enjoyed writing this so far. I honestly did make a promise to myself a long time ago that this quirky story would not be abandoned and I fully intend to keep that promise. Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to write (Yes, I'm very aware that I've said that before too (T.T)), but this really was kind of the mountain peak in the story so going downhill should be a lot easier, at least for me. Sorry for the long-winded anecdote and for the _very_ long update. Now I'm going to go catch my breath and have a cold one or two. Take care.


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